Healing
by Kalenath Shok-Tan
Summary: Sometimes, when things get so bad that there seems to be no way out, you need help. Sometimes, you need more. You need healing. It is rarely fun, and rarely clean, but it can help. Eventually. Just... word of warning. Do NOT irritate a Healer. It will hurt. This is a direct follow on to 'Instinct'. This is a fanfiction. I own none of the rights to Warframe.
1. Chapter 1

**Betrayal**

She ran. There wasn't really any point to it, but she had to try. She had to do what she could to get away. She cursed herself once more for being a trusting fool, for believing when told that transport was coming. She wasn't a warrior, trained in intelligence and counter intelligence. She was a doctor, a healer. She wasn't…

"Healer! Stop!" A sharp voice from nearby called and the Tenno known as Iriana put on an extra burst of speed as the white streak of a tranquilizer dart flashed by where she had been. "Please!" The male voice called as she ran.

She had wanted to help. She had hoped to help. Instead, she had been betrayed. The human colony on Mercury that she had been supposed to assist had been decimated by a Grineer slaving raid. And not recently. The few bodies that were left had been sitting out for at least a week. Far longer than the supposed distress call that had brought her here away from her support. When she had tried to escape back to the tower, her portal key had been snatched out of her hand by an unseen assailant and she had fled. She was… She gave a sharp cry and pulled her short Skana as an Ash warframe appeared in front of her in a puff of smoke. He raised empty hands.

"Healer." He said in a moderating voice. "Don't be stupid. We won't hurt you. We _won't_. We just need to…sequester you for a while. We have work for you to do, but… not here."

"Liar." Iriana snapped. She glanced to the sides, but one side was a sheer drop, the other a wide open field. She would be a sitting duck trying to cross such a place. "Is that what you _scum_ told Dust? Told Jasmina?" One friend was dead. The other? No one spoke of her. It had taken Iriana a _month_ to discover that Jasmina still lived, but no one would tell her anything except that the female Tenno had gone rogue. For _Jasmina_ to do that… The mind boggled.

"Healer, please." The Ash pleaded. Another form appeared nearby, this one a Trinity warframe with a tranquilizer gun in hand. A familiar one.

"_Alicia_." Iriana spat. "I should have known. _Karl_ did this! What did you do to Brownie? To Jasmina?"

"Iriana." The combat medic of Karl's clan said sadly. "Please. I don't understand everything that is going on here, but you are needed. This was a cover, a ploy to get you out of sight. You _are_ needed. There are lots of people who need healing." Iriana looked from the Trinity to the Ash, but her attention was on Alicia and when Alicia fired again, the Healer's short Skana blocked the shot.

"Actions speak louder than words, Alicia. You are lying." Iriana snarled, then she screamed as the Ash teleported close and wrenched the Skana from her hand. He backed away as she recoiled, clutching her suddenly throbbing arm. Even not fighting to kill, warframes were insanely strong. "Using a warframe… on a medic…" Iriana spat. "So… _honorable_…"

"Iriana, it's okay." Alicia tried to calm the irate healer. "A little sleep and you will wake up somewhere where they need you. They will explain. We cannot explain here."

"Is _that_ what you told Brownie?" Iriana nearly screamed. "When you gave her back to the scum who hurt her?"

"Healer, I _didn't_." Alicia said sadly. "I know you are upset. Just… easy…" She raised the pistol and froze as Iriana took a step towards the cliff. "Iriana… no…" Alicia stepped back, her posture scared.

"You took that hurt girl from me and gave her _back_ to that _scum_ Redi!" Iriana snapped. _That_ betrayal had cut the deepest. She had trusted Karl and his people. They had returned her trust with horror. When she had found out about that, she had left Karl's dojo without a word and not returned any of his people's calls. "You are _no_ healer!" She would not let them do the same to her. Or worse, use her to hurt _another_ innocent.

"I am Tenno." Alicia said sadly. "I obey orders. And right now, my orders are to sedate you and bring you to people who need you. Close your eyes, Iriana. It won't hurt."

"No." Iriana said with a sigh. "It won't." Then she threw herself off the cliff! Her scream faded quickly.

"_No!_" Alicia screamed as she ran to the cliff side. The Ash ran with her and both peered down with both sensors and visual scanning. Her rangefinder told the story. Between three and four hundred meters down into forest. "No…" Alicia begged.

"She might have…" The Ash said, dazed. "A _ledge_, a _vine_… _something_!" Alicia shook her head and the Ash pleaded. "I'll go look!"

"Be careful, Janas." Alicia said soberly. "I… I need to report this. If you find her… Maybe we can… I…" She slumped. He nodded and threw himself from the cliff. Heights mattered not in a warframe, but Iriana hadn't been _wearing_ one. "Damn it, what am I going to tell Sara and Mishka? Or _Serene_?"

* * *

Iriana's first thought on waking was wonder that she _had_. The second thought was a loud and fervent 'Ow'. She opened her eyes and gasped in shock. She was hanging over empty air. She could see the trees far beneath her, but when she tried to move, her left leg suddenly hurt. She looked at it and gasped. Seeing bone stabbing up from skin was never a good thing. Seeing it in two places? Worse. She struggled to move herself upright and screamed as pain flared in other places. She looked at herself and shook her head.

"And it started as such a good day too." She said weakly as she catalogued her injuries. Badly broken right arm wedged in between two rocks, compound breaks in the bones of her left leg. Bleeding from a deep gash in her side, probably caused by a rock. Pain in her face, multiple…

"Ma'am?" A quiet voice said and she looked up to see a human clinging to the rock beside her. The woman wore an odd garment that seemed to be made of rope. Or… the rope was holding her to another rope that went up a ways. Her gloves were coated with something that clung to the rock. "Can you move? A Grineer patrol is ten minutes out." Iriana shook her head.

"Leave me." Iriana said weakly. "Can't… get loose…"

"We don't leave people to the Grineer, Ma'am." The woman said with a scowl and spoke louder. "Found our screamer. She is hurt bad. I need the basket. And make it snappy!"

"No…" Iriana begged as the woman moved closer, hands moving with professional skill to assess her injuries. "Don't…"

"The only thing holding you in is the arm, Ma'am." The odd woman said calmly. "But it is broken bad." She reached into a pocket as something long and thin appeared beside the woman. Some kind of basket on a rope? Then it clicked. Iriana had read once about something called a 'Stokes basket' used in mountain rescues. This looked a lot like that. "I need to get you out and into the basket. I don't have any drugs with me, but…" She held out a long thin rod. It was covered in what looked like leather. "Bite on this."

"You can't help me." Iriana said, her strength waning. Somehow, she knew she was bleeding internally.

"Not on the side of cliff, no, Ma'am." The odd woman said with a shrug. "I ain't leaving you here for the Grineer to use for target practice." She put the rod into Iriana's mouth and the Healer bit down. The other woman took hold with practiced grips and pulled. Pain flared and Iriana could only take it for a moment before she blacked out.

* * *

"What do you mean she _jumped_?" Karl demanded, his face ashen under his open faceplate. He stood on his ship, staring at Alicia who slumped in the middle of the tiny ship's cabin.

"She realized it was a set up. We stopped her from portaling, but…" Alicia said sadly. "She ran. Janas and I caught her easily, but… She demanded to know what happened to the girl, what happened to Jasmina. Then… There was a cliff… She _jumped_." The Trinity was crying. "I… None of us wanted to _hurt_ her!"

"How… far…?" Karl asked, his whole being still.

"Three, four hundred meters to the bottom. Forest. We couldn't see her land." Alicia bowed her head. "Janas went to see if there was a ledge, a vine… something she might have landed on or caught." She suddenly shouted. "_I was trying not to hurt her!_"

"You did your best." Karl said softly. "You never do anything less." He patted her shoulder gently. "Go on, go home. Rest. This isn't your fault."

"It _feels_ like my fault." Alicia said as she turned to the airlock that led to her own ship. Then she paused. '"Karl… I mean no disrespect… But what are we _doing_?" She begged.

"Damage control." Karl said with a sigh. "When Jasmina... left… All kinds of things went screwy. The majority of the Infested vanishing is _not_ a good sign." Alicia swallowed hard and he nodded. "We have to be ready. If… If Iriana is… I will tell Serene, Sara and Mishka. They were looking forward to seeing her."

"I know." Alicia said, tears falling freely. "Janas will search until he finds a body. Grineer are swarming."

"I will call other kin." Karl said sadly. "We will find her and bring her home. Alive… or otherwise."

"Amelia and Two are going to…" Alicia swallowed hard again. "I… I can't say I blame them. They love her."

"We all do." Karl said with a sigh. "My responsibility, Alicia. I will tell them. Go on. Will needs you."

Will… hadn't been the same since Jasmina had told off the Empress of the remnants of Orokin and vanished without a trace. He spent his time outside of missions in solitary meditation. He barely even trained anymore.

"I don't know what he is seeking." Alicia said sadly. "Aeron and Karen are not any better. So… cold." She shivered a bit.

Aeron and Karen rarely talked to Karl or anyone else now. They went out and did missions with clockwork efficiency. Then they both returned and spent their time alone, practicing with weapon, training. The few attempts that Alicia had tried to get through had been completely ignored. The pair of snipers _defined_ scary. They didn't talk, didn't seem to communicate at all. They just moved in harmony with each other with a grace and skill that was terrifying even for Tenno.

"We all prepare for the worst in our own way, Sister Alicia." Olim said from where he knelt nearby. He and Mori were basically the only members of the clan who hadn't changed. Outwardly at least. Olim was still the same, but… cautious with the others. Alicia didn't blame him. Her clan was falling apart around her. "I am sorry. I barely knew Iriana and I mourn her."

"She is not dead until we find a body." Alicia said fiercely. "And maybe not even then, if Mori's people can do anything." Mori shrugged from where she stood behind Olim even now. She took her bodyguard duty very seriously. She hadn't spoken much since the debacle at Avalon. "I'll go… rest." Alicia said heavily. "Let me know… I owe her… for Raven. For me…" She pleaded.

"We will." Karl promised. Only after she was gone did he turn to Olim. "Can you track Iriana? She has an emergency tracer."

"I _think_ so." Olim said slowly. "You want me to try?" Mori stiffened and Karl shook his head.

"That area is swarming with Grineer." Karl said sadly. "We need to whittle them down or distract them before we risk you."

"And if Iriana is bleeding her life out on a ledge somewhere?" Olim asked softly, not arguing. Clarifying.

"Getting you killed won't help her." Karl said softly. Mori relaxed and Karl nodded to her. "What word?"

"The portals have not been activated at all." Mori replied, her tone hard. "The tunnels have been scoured. No sign of where they went." She shook her head. "Karl… I…"

"We were both obeying orders." Karl said with a sigh. "It seemed so simple. Kill the Infested. It wasn't until Jasmina jerked us all up that I realized it wasn't simple at all. I should have seen it." He said, shaking his head again. "I didn't know she commanded the group who took control of the Caretaker facility. But to tell you the honest truth? I don't blame her for her reaction."

"Even the Empress doesn't." Mori said with a matching sigh. "Pregnant, suddenly exposed to sentient Infested… and then… betrayed? By Redi? By _us_? Then losing her mate? No. No one blames her." She slumped a bit. "I am not surprised she reacted as she did. I _was_ surprised by the Glaive." When an unarmed Tenno smuggled a weapon into the presence of an Empress? Oh yes, _that_ had been a shock.

"We _all_ were." Karl said with a wince. "Where the hell did she hide that?"

"I don't think she did." Olim said, his tone thoughtful and the other two looked at him. "Think about it. Every scanner Orokin _had_ was focused on her. Every scan _I_ could do was focused on her. We read her through her warframe down to her _DNA_. The scans saw the Infested implant, they saw the tiny fetus even just a few days old. They would _not_ have missed a Glaive. No way."

"Then _how_ did she…?" Mori snapped, then froze. "No…"

"Yes. Legend says that when the First was first attacked by his Nemesis, he manifested the Glaive. Not _drew_ it, not _summoned_ it, he _**manifested**_ it." Olim said quietly. "As in, created it from himself at need."

"You _cannot_ be comparing her to the _First_." Mori said, stunned. "She is _not_ Hayden Tenno!"

"No." Olim said quietly. "But she was stuck. Surrounded by enemies. And think of what she did with it. She made it dance in mid-air." Both other Tenno stilled. "Yes. '-and the First made the sharp metal disc dance in mid-air as if alive' as is quoted from the Codex. Small _wonder_ Aeron and Will are having crises of faith. Small wonder." The Cyberlancer repeated. Karl swallowed heavily. "I am too." Olim admitted.

"Oh boy." Karl said with a sigh. "I… don't know what to think. Right now, we need to find Iriana. Alive or dead, we need to find her."

"And then?" Olim asked. "If she is alive and she asks the questions we do not have answers to?"

"Then we try to find answers." Karl said with an unfamiliar feeling. Helplessness.

* * *

Iriana woke to pain. It was everywhere. She was pain. It was… A stick in her arm made it recede and she gasped, but… There was a tube in her mouth. She opened her eyes, er, one eye, the other didn't work. She stared up into the face of the woman from the cliff side.

"We had to put a tube in, Ma'am." The woman said softly. "Your throat was swelling, blocking your air. We have to get your leg in a splint. Your arm…" She trailed off as Iriana nodded. She had seen the mess of her right arm. "Don't try to move. You may have spinal injuries. Our scanner is not that great and its batteries don't last long. They are recharging now. I wanted to get your bleeding under control first." Iriana moved her left hand a bit and the woman took it. "We will help you, okay?"

_You can't._ Iriana tried to send the message, but it obviously didn't convey. _Dear ancestors, please don't die for me…_

"You are okay, Ma'am." The woman said gently. "We will take care of you. We won't leave anyone for the Grineer." She gave Iriana's hand a squeeze.

_The Grineer…_ Iriana thought and something in her eye spoke to the woman who gave her hand another squeeze.

"You are safe here, Ma'am." The odd woman said gently. "These caves are scanner resistant. The Grineer haven't found us."

_Yet._ Iriana thought as darkness crowded her vision. _But they are not the major threat. If the Tenno come here… Oh I hope the Tenno cannot find me, hurt these people who have helped me._

The woman let go of Iriana's hand and checked an old style IV bag that hung nearby. No direct osmosis feeds here. No, this had a tube, probably with a needle into her bloodstream and everything. Ancient tech, but totally workable.

"We are going to put you out so we can set your leg and work on your arm." The woman said gently. "We are not doctors, but we have experience with broken bones." She looked with compassion at Iriana. "There is more, but those are the worst."

Iriana swallowed past the tube and then closed her eye. She could not fight, could not flee. All she could do was lie there and hope.

"My name is Pat." The woman said gently, taking Iriana's hand again. "We will talk when you wake. We should be able to take the tube out then."

Iriana slumped, feeling her meagre energy waning. Pat did something and Iriana felt faint. But then her eye flew open as a voice sounded nearby. But her vision as fuzzing.

"Pat?" The male voice was… familiar. "How bad is she?"

"She is a mess, Artus." Pat said with a sigh. "I think she is almost out. I need your help to set the leg."

"Anything I can do." The male voice said wearily. "The others are taken care of." Then the voice exclaimed. "Wait!" Iriana stared up at… a dark colored Volt warframe. She felt fear cascade through her. "Do I know you?"

She was begging, pleading and crying in equal measure as the drug she had been given dragged her into oblivion.


	2. Chapter 2

**Sorrow**

Iriana woke slowly. It was the drugs, she knew. She dreaded the moment that the numbness that she could feel in large parts of her body wore off. She knew it wouldn't be fun. While she had studied pain control in her long ago basic training, it hadn't ever been something she personally had to worry about. Even at the worst parts of her life, she had been able to access Tenno medical gear and personnel. Now?

She focused on what she could feel. Her left side was cold. Her right arm was numb, most of the rest of the side cold. If she was hurt as badly as she suspected, she was in an ICU of sorts, and that precluded most forms of warming. She wiggled her left hand fingers and then the toes of… She screamed as pain seared through her left leg. But… the sound was muffled by something.

"Easy!" Pat's voice came from nearby. "Easy…" She said quickly as a hand took hold of Iriana's. The Tenno healer opened her eye and tears were streaming as the woman from before held tight to her unhurt hand. "This will help." Something stung Iriana's unhurt arm and then she was floating.

"How much did you give her?" Someone asked sharply.

"Enough." Pat said, not taking her eyes from Iriana's single working one. "Ma'am? Still with us?" Iriana tried to nod, but her head didn't move. "Blink once if you can." Iriana struggled with her muscles, but managed to get her eyelid to close and then open. Her eye felt raw, but it did go dark and then she saw Pat relax. The hand holding hers gave another squeeze. "Easy." The same hand stroked hers. "It's okay."

Iriana opened her mouth and tried to speak, but only a croak came out. Pat shook her head and a small round thing found her lips. "Drink slow." Pat ordered.

Iriana did as instructed, the cool water tasting heavenly. After a few sips, she felt capable of speech, but her brain was as numb as her extremities.

"How… bad…?" Iriana asked after thinking the words through for a moment.

"Never you mind that." Pat said calmly. "Your only priority now is to heal. We will not lose you."

"What did you give me and what dose?" Iriana said, her mental agility increasing as she thought. Pat looked at her. "I… know my allergies. Injuries are…consistent with a fall, but… what drugs?"

"You are a doc?" Pat asked, stunned.

"Was." Iriana said sadly. "Betrayed. Ran… jumped…" She slumped a bit. "Didn't expect to…" Pat gave her hand a squeeze again.

"I understand." Pat said with sincere compassion. "But if you are really a doc… We gave you a basic painkilling dose of morphine." Iriana's eye widened. "You know what that means?" Pat asked curiously.

"Opiate?" Iriana asked softly. "I… Powerful, but… narcotic." She slumped a bit more. "Addicted or screaming?" She said with a sigh. "Some… choice."

"We will be careful." Pat said with a nod. "But you know your drugs."

"Describe injuries and treatment?" Iriana begged her. "Please?" Pat looked at her and then nodded.

"Left leg, broken femur and tibia. Immobilized in traction splint." Pat said, her tone clinical. "Internal bleeding has been reduced. Possible soft organ damage. Crushing trauma of the third and fourth cervical vertebrae. Twisting of the fifth lumbar vertebrae. Spine immobilized. Right arm crushed, immobilized." Iriana winced, but did not speak. "Skull fracture with damage to left eye. Fracture set, eye… unknown." She said quietly. "Fluids administered via IV. Four liters of saline introduced. Currently on the fifth."

"And I am _alive_?" Iriana asked, stunned. "_How_? I _shouldn't_ be."

"Artus is good." Pat said with a smile. "He would not let you go."

"Tenno?" Iriana asked, trying to hide her fear.

"He is okay." Pat said gently. "He is the only reason _any_ of us survived our town being taken by the Grineer."

"Story there." Iriana said slowly, feeling a wave of weakness sweeping through her. She managed to fend it off with effort. "Max dose of morphine for pain, 15 milligrams per..." She gasped and relaxed against her will.

"15 milligrams in a 4 hour period via continuous IV." Pat said with a smile. "I have used it before. I… was the town medic." Iriana looked at her and Pat grimaced. "Not much good against Grineer, but good at patching up hurt miners. Pulling people out of mines or off cliff sides."

"I…" Iriana swallowed hard. "I bring danger with me."

"So Artus said before he left." Pat said with a sigh. "But he wouldn't give your name or what the danger _was_. He said you were not a danger _to_ us." Iriana chuckled and winced. "Easy." Pat cautioned her.

"What would I do?" Iriana asked with a sigh. "_Bleed_ on you?" She fought off another wave of tiredness. "Don't waste your supplies." Iriana said sadly. "I think I am…" She paused as Pat laid a finger on her lips.

"Artus told me to keep you alive." Pat said with a shake of her head. "I haven't disappointed that big crazy Tenno yet. I am not about to start. We all owe him."

"If you need someone who does know medications…" Iriana said slowly. "I can do that. If I am not too fuddled by painkillers." Pat looked at her and Iriana made a soft noise. "I… studied ancient remedies. Herbs, plants… Interactions between drugs and herbal remedies."

"You are a frickin' godsend!" Pat said with a wide smile that faded. "We have two dozen people with injuries ranging from blast trauma to gun shot wounds. We have access to several small gardens that are growing medicinal herbs. And we have a small, barely functioning replicator. Right now, it is making bandages." She paused as Iriana grimaced. "Pain?"

"Yeah." Iriana started her inner mantra for pain. It didn't help much. "No!" She said as sharply as she could when Pat reached for a tray nearby. "I… I can handle it. For now."

"Look, pain will slow your recovery!" Pat protested as she readied a syringe.

"No more morphine! I am going to be paralyzed if my spine swells." Iriana said with a wince. "Then the pain of my leg at least will fade. Don't waste your drugs."

"You are _crazy_!" Pat said with a scowl. Then she sighed. "Artus went to get more medical supplies. I don't know from where. I didn't ask."

"You can't help me, Pat." Iriana said sadly. "No one can. All you will do is waste your resources. Resources you will need."

"You don't know that." Pat said with a snarl. "Artus has done miracles already. Please, don't give up." She pleaded. "I… I don't want to lose any more patients."

"I know the feeling." Iriana said sadly. "I…disagree with you. But I am not… the charge medic."

"No, you are not." Pat said with a smile as she injected Iriana. The Tenno healer was smiling sadly as she slowly slipped away. "Sleep now. May I know your name?"

"My co-workers call me Iri." Iriana said as she slid into odd dreams.

* * *

_What the hell? _

The Tenno known as Janas had not been expecting this. He was part of the latest batch of Royal Guard who had been cycled through Karl clan of Tenno to gain experience in life and war outside of Avalon. Like most of the Royal Guard, he had been born in Avalon and raised in a Tenno family. Raised to serve, to follow, to believe in Orokin. That belief had been shaken by recent events. But, he was Tenno. A warrior born and bred. Trained to kill in any number of ways. Trained to use the Ash warframe he wore. Trained to fight. This… creeping around in the shrubbery felt wrong.

His preferred Ash Prime warframe was waiting for him back on Avalon, his preferred Prime weapons as well since they were rare to the point of unavailable outside of Avalon and a dead giveaway that something was off. But he was adaptable. Hence why Karl had selected him for this special assignment. No one wanted to _hurt_ Iriana. The healer was special to many, many people. Janas had met Sara and Mishka, Iriana's daughters and Serene, Iriana's sister on Avalon and liked them all. He had volunteered when told that his mission would involve reuniting Iriana with her kin. But it had all gone wrong. Instead of simple trank and snatch mission, Iriana had sensed or seen something and taken off running. Then she had thrown herself off a cliff rather than surrender. That… didn't fit with the healer he had heard so much of. Somehow, she had heard something about what the traitor Jasmina had done. Had she been contaminated too? He didn't know. Or really care. He still had a mission. He would accomplish it.

Somehow.

The area beneath where the healer had thrown herself off the cliff was heavily overgrown. He had quartered it and done a standard search pattern. He had found nothing. But now, he heard Grineer. But not just Grineer. Someone was attacking them! He moved from cover to cover, a fluid section of shadow and paused as he saw the other Tenno. The Volt warframe was not anyone he had met and he did not have an ID on it. But… training ran deep and when a squad of Grineer moved past his concealment to flank the Volt, Janas attacked. He was in the midst of the group of degenerate clones before they even knew he was there, his Ether sword cutting through heavy armor, bone and meat with equal abandon. In moments, he was back to back with the Volt, his bolto pistol slamming into the enemies that showed themselves as the Volt's precise shots with a Vulkar sniper rifle took their toll as well. The fire that the Grineer tossed their way was deflected with ease by the Volt's electric shield, which he kept up even as Grineer tried to charge and flank the two Tenno. Even Grineer could not keep this up forever. Janas felt it when their attack spent itself against their staunch defense. He knew what to do.

His Bladestorm thinned the remaining Grineer and the few survivors tried to flee, but found their ponderous armor a lethal hindrance when facing two highly maneuverable Tenno. Less than five minutes after Janas joined the battle, the last Grineer fell and silence reigned in the forest again. He turned to the Volt and froze on seeing the Vulkar rifle pointed at _him_!

"Brother?" Janas asked slowly.

"My fight." The Volt said softly and Janas went totally stiff as he heard the undercurrent deep in it. Rage. Volt warframes had a bad habit of making the wearers go berserk. "This was _my_ fight."

"Your fight." Janas agreed softly, then hit his smoke screen and vanished from sight and sensor, darting away in case the Volt shot anyway. The strange dark colored warframe did not. Instead, he… picked up an odd looking sack and started off at enhanced speeds. Even as curious as Janas was, he had a mission. Lots of ground to cover. Then... He would search the cliff. He wasn't looking forward to that.

_What word?_ The voice of the Lotus came and Janas paused, checking his surroundings with care, then responding.

_No sign on the ground of impact, milady. No body._ Janas said formally. _I will search the cliff. But… Her chances… If she hit the cliff…_

_I know._ The Lotus responded sadly. _The tracer she has within her is either shielded somehow, or disabled. You will need to get very close to detect it if you even can__.__ Did you fight? I read expended ammunition._

_A brother was battling a host of Grineer. _Janas said calmly. _I assisted him, but he…_ He paused. How did he say it?

_But what?_ The Lotus prompted. _Did he survive? I felt no death of kin._

_He drew his weapon on me and told me to stay out of his fight. _Janas said, confused. _I was not aware of any Tenno in this area. It was a Volt._

_Ah, that would be Artus._ Lotus responded, her tone heavy. _He feels responsible for the civilians in that area. He is a bit… touchy__._She said in a tone of profound understatement. _Not rogue. Just… touchy._

_He is a Volt._ Janas said with a trace of sadness. _They __**define**__ touchy. I will stay out of his way and keep searching._

* * *

"Artus?" Pat's voice greeted the Volt as he entered the medical section of the cave that so many called home now.

"How is she, medic?" The Tenno asked, his tone the same stilted formality that he always used when speaking with humans. Others might call it patronizing. Pat heard shame in it.

"Holding on." Pat said with a wince. "I gave her two doses. Artus…" She slumped a bit. "She wants to die. I am trying to convince her to stay. I don't know if I can succeed."

"If anyone can, Medic Pat, you can." Artus said with a small bow. "I got everything on the list."

"Everything?" Pat asked, dumbfounded. "The dialysis gear too?"

"Everything was still where you said it would be, Medic. I found some other stuff too." The Volt said, swinging his sack from his shoulder. "The Grineer are massing. I am not sure for what. There are… other Tenno in the area. I am not sure why."

"All this time, they never did anything for us and now they are _everywhere_? What _gives_?" Pat asked, her tone caustic, then she was immediately apologetic. "I am sorry."

"We have failed you all, Medic Pat." Artus said sadly. Then he looked into the room where their latest patient lay, her battered face contorted with pain that even drugs and sleep could not ease. "Almost as bad as we failed… others." He said in an undertone.

"You didn't throw her off that cliff, Artus." Pat said, examining a portable scanner with rechargeable batteries. "She said she was betrayed."

"We all were." Artus voice was even lower, but Pat caught it. Pat looked at him, but did not press. She knew better. "I will sit with her, if you wish to get a meal or some sleep."

"When she wakes, we can start the treatment." Pat said quietly. "I hope we are in time. She is a doc. She knows drugs."

"I know." Artus grunted.

"You know her." It wasn't really a surprise.

"I met her once." Artus said with a shrug. "Bad situation, but she was… good at what she did."

"Well, if we can persuade her liver to stop failing, we can _definitely_ use her." Pat said with a nod. "I'll be back to set up the regenerator. One of us will have to monitor her. Jal has been by, growling."

"If he touches her, I will hurt him." Artus said calmly.

"Artus, his kid is dying." Pat said with a shake of her head. "There is nothing I can do. I didn't want to choose."

"Now you don't have to." Artus agreed as he knelt by the bed. "Let him use the drugs on Melina. We can use the regenerator on…" He paused and Pat smiled a bit forlornly.

"She said her name was Iri." Pat said quietly. "Is it?"

"That will do." Artus agreed, then focused on the sleeping woman.

"You okay?" Pat asked, concerned. She examined what she could see of his warframe, but he did not react or respond. "Fine." She said sadly. "Stubborn Tenno. Be that way." Pat was shaking her head as she left.

Artus did not move, did nothing as the hurt woman on the bed moaned a bit.

"She is going to die." A voice came from the outside and a haggard looking human stepped into the room. "Why prolong her suffering?"

"Everything dies." Artus replied easily. "Why prolong Melina's?" The man's daughter had taken a Grineer heavy caliber round to the head during the flight from their home and would never wake. She spent her remaining time moaning unless drugged.

"She is my daughter!" Jal said sharply. "Do Tenno understand love?"

"I don't know." Artus replied, still calm. "Do _humans_?" The withering irony in his tone had the man flushing. "Here." He handed the man a set of syringes. "Tend your kin."

"What is that woman to you?" Jal asked, grabbing the syringes and cradling them to his chest like a miser's gold.

"An innocent." Artus said softly. "Unlike most I have ever met, _she_ has done no wrong. If you touch her, I will hurt you."

"She is not one of us!" Jal said with a scowl, but he did take a step towards the door.

"Neither am I." Artus said and remained where he was as Jal ran from the room. "Idiot." He said with a sigh. A moan had him turning.

"A…rtus…?" Iriana's eye was open, but fuzzed with pain and narcotics. "Wha…?"

"It's all right, Healer." Artus said quietly. "Shh. Go back to sleep." He held a hand over her and a small fall of green mist had her sigh and slump. "We all pay our dues in different ways, Healer. You are my penance."

He would not fail her as he had failed so many others. He hoped so anyway. The fragments of memory that he had were… unpleasant. He would pay his debts to humanity, starting with this small fragment of it. Plus one sorely hurt noncombatant Tenno. He didn't know what had possessed Healer Iriana to jump from that cliff, but didn't really care. She was his problem now. Anyone who tried to hurt her, Tenno, human, Grineer, Infested, Corpus, whatever… would face his wrath.


	3. Chapter 3

**Nastiness**

Iriana woke to an unfamiliar feeling. She had never felt the feeling, but she knew what it was. A bone deep craving. They had given her too much morphine. And…

"Help." She said in a tiny voice as her stomach started to flip.

"Iri?" Pat asked, worried. "What is wrong?"

"I'm about to vomit." Iriana said in a miserable voice.

"Oh crap! Don't move!" Pat's hands were strong as they held her head in place. "Let it come. I have suction available."

"I… No…" Iriana managed to croak and then nature had it's way. She was crying out of her one good eye as something entered her mouth and a hissing pulled the acidic muck out as soon as it came up. After a time that felt like an eternity, her belly was empty.

"There." Pat said gently. "Done?" Iriana felt her stomach turn once more and then it was still.

"I think so." Humiliation sang in Iriana's words as she lay back. "I… I _feel_…"

"I know." Pat said sadly. "I gave you too much. I am sorry." Iriana looked at her and paled as Pat readied a syringe.

"No!" Iriana begged. "I… No, I can't… I'll become addicted. _More_ addicted." She hated the whining, pleading note that entered her voice. She wanted the drug. "Don't…" She begged.

"Iri, you _are_." Pat said sadly. "This is a lesser dose. We will… wean you off." She said as she prepared Iriana's arm. Iriana tried to jerk away, but Pat held it tight. "Don't fight me." The medic warned.

"I… No." Iriana begged as Pat injected her. The fuzzy feeling swept over her as her pain faded. "Why?" She pleaded. "I don't _want_ to be an addict." She moaned.

"Iri…" Pat said gently. "We need to turn you to get at your back." Iriana stared at her. "It's gonna hurt like a son of a gun."

"Why?" Iriana asked, her tone fuzzy, but her eye clear.

"We need to get at your liver." Pat said simply. "We have a regenerator. We need to get your liver fully functional again."

"My… My liver?" Iriana asked, stunned. "Oh no…" The liver, for Tenno the same as humans, was the primary detoxification center of the body. When it failed, the body quickly filled with toxins.

"You apparently slammed into the rocks several times on the way down, Iri." Pat said gently. "I pulled a spur of stone out of your back. It hit your liver."

"Kidneys?" Iriana asked, stunned. The kidneys worked to filter the blood. Without them, the same thing happened as if the liver failed. Btu there were two of them.

"I don't know." Pat said with a sigh. "But definitely liver. We got a regenerator. It is charged."

"But you need access." Iriana said, swallowing hard. "How long to regen?"

"I don't know." Pat admitted. "I was just the emergency medic. The doc… didn't make it."

"Show me what you have." Iriana said, forcing her emotions to the back. Pat held up a large, oblong device and Iriana scrutinized it. She took a deep breath. "It looks similar to portable models that I have used. If it _is_, it should take between five and ten minutes of direct stimulation to regenerate subsurface tissue. Does it have a built in scanner?"

"I don't know." Pat said, stunned by this change in her patient.

"Show me the back of the device." Iriana commanded and Pat did as instructed. Iriana stared at it and then smiled. "It does. No direct neural feeds for this model. Which is good. You wouldn't be able to access it."

"Neural… feeds?" Pat asked, staring from the machine to Iriana.

"Later." Iriana promised. "If I survive this. Like you say, this is gonna hurt like hell, but if my liver regains function, it should help with detoxing the morphine." She took a deep breath. "This design has four buttons, see?" She waved her free hand at the machine and Pat nodded. "Off, Low, High and Ultra. If it is… anything like the ones I have used…" She started to gasp for breath but continued. "Then Ultra drains power like crazy. Power readout…"

"I know that. On the side here." Pat said quietly. "Anything else?"

"Don't hold it in your bare hands." Iriana said with a small laugh. "Energy leakage can be… a pain. When I was in… medical school, I did. The tips of my fingers swelled up four times normal size as the skin grew out of control. My instructor was… not happy with me." Pat chuckled at that and then sobered. She scrutinized the machine.

"What is this 'wide' and 'narrow'?" Pat asked. "Width of energy field?"

"Probably." Iriana said with a grunt as pain eclipsed the drugs. "Does it say anything about depth of penetration?"

"No." Pat said with a gulp. "Is that bad?"

"I don't know." Iriana said with a sigh. "Pain is coming back, Pat. If you are gonna do this, do it."

"I'll get Artus." Pat said quietly. Iriana made a soft noise of fear, but Pat shook her head. "He won't do anything to you." Indeed, she went to the door and beckoned. In moments, the dark warframe was in the room. Iriana shrank way from the Volt, but he paid her no mind.

"Now?" He asked quietly.

"Let me get some gloves on." Pat said and slid heavy gloves over her hands before picking the machine up gingerly and carrying it to the bed. Iriana was breathing hard in both anticipation and fear. "Easy, Iri. Won't be long."

"Would be better if I pass out." Iriana said stoically. "Less thrashing." She looked at Artus who nodded.

"I can put you out, Ma'am." Artus said quietly. Pat looked at him, but did not comment, turning back to the machine.

"You… may need my knowledge." Iriana said with a gulp. "If I scream or insult you… don't take it personally." She chuckled without humor and Pat matched it.

"I will use setting Three." Pat said, holding the regenerator steadily in her hands. She nodded to Artus who slid his hands slowly under Iriana and lifted her easily. Several tubes came with her, but she ignored them. The pain immediately soared and Iriana started her mantra. Artus turned her slowly to present her back to Pat without moving her spine and Pat started the machine. The power soothed Iriana's pain.

"Oh…" Iriana said with a sigh. "It has a built in anesthesia function. That is… marvelous."

"Should I use it on your other injuries?" Pat asked, her eyes on the scanner. "It seems to be working fast."

"Can you tell how bad the damage is?" Iriana asked.

"Not really." Pat said, stunned. "It seems to be mostly _gone_. I am going to try 'Wide' field." Iriana gasped as the pain came back. "Oops, that must deactivate the anesthesia."

"Keep going." Iriana pleaded. "I can… handle it."

"Got it." Pat said with a smile as she deactivated the machine. "Need to recharge this thing. Lay her back down, Artus." The Volt reoriented Iriana and slowly laid her back down. She frowned as Iriana gave a whimper. "How bad?"

"Hurts." Iriana said with a gasp. "But no drugs! I…" She shook herself. "I need it, but I don't _want_ it!"

"Don't be stubborn, Ma'am." Artus said with a chiding snort. "Pain will slow your recovery and the people here need a doc."

"There is less pain." Iriana said softly. "Where did you sweep with that?"

"All across your back." Pat said with a frown as she pulled a scanner from a pocket. She ran it over Iriana and her face lit up. "Wow. That is…" She showed the readout to Iriana who smiled as she saw a host of newly reformed flesh. Her liver, her kidneys, her gall bladder and spine all showed signs of recent regeneration. In time, those signs would pass and no one who hadn't seen her injuries would know she had been hurt.

"Arm, leg and head left. Wow indeed. That is a… top of the line model." Iriana said with a smile. She looked at Artus and stiffened. He had gone still. What had she said?

"Artus?" Pat asked, looking at the regeneration machine. "This isn't the one the doc had. It looks the same, but his couldn't repair that much damage that fast. Where did you get this?" Instead of answering, the Volt turned and left the room. "Wha-?" She asked, surprised.

"Tenno love their secrets." Iriana said quietly. "Don't press. You have it and can use it to help others. You said others are hurt?"

"Yes." Pat said, shaking her head. "You are –were-…" She qualified with a smile. "… the worst, but others. Yes, this will help."

"Go on." Iriana said with a smile. "Recharge it. Help your people. I hope I can help you too."

"You have." Pat said as she bent down to kiss Iriana on the cheek. "Thanks. You showing me how to use this will save lives. Thank you Iri. I have rounds to make and now… I have good news to give out."

"I can't do much physically." Iriana said, waving her free hand. "But if you need any of my knowledge, you have but to ask."

"You hungry?" Pat asked, still staring at the machine n her hands with a rapt expression.

"No." Iriana said with a wince. Then her stomach growled. "Ah… I dunno…" She grimaced, remembering her bout of nasty.

"We have soup and broth." Pat said with a smile as she stepped back. Artus entered, a tray with bowls in his hand and Pat smiled. "See?"

"At least now I won't leak." Iriana said with a smile. "Go on, get to healing!" She commanded and Pat left with a chuckle. Iriana waited until she was gone before speaking to Artus. "Are we alone?"

"Yes." The Volt said calmly as he pulled a rolling table out of a wall cubby and laid the tray on it. He moved to the bed and it eased Iriana up into a sitting position. Her spine had been healed, so there was no danger, just a lingering ache that would fade.

"Are you going to turn me over to the people hunting me?" Iriana asked, proud that her voice did not quaver.

"No." Artus replied, moving the tray close to her. "Can you handle a spoon?"

"One way to find out." Iriana said stoically. Artus handed her a spoon that she took carefully in her left hand. Then he uncovered the bowls and moved the table close enough for her to reach. She took a bite and moaned in pleasure as she savored the taste. "Good stuff. What now?"

"These people need help." Artus said quietly. "Will you help them?"

"If I can." Iriana said quietly. "Healing is my calling. But…" She looked down at the casts on her leg and arm. "What are your intentions?"

"I am here to help these people." Artus replied easily. "No more, no less."

"If the ones hunting me find me here, give me to them." Iriana said soberly as she filled anther spoonful. "I won't be the cause of strife between Tenno."

"How do you think Serene is going to react to you vanishing, Healer?" Artus asked and Iriana froze. "Yeah."

"Crap." Iriana said with feeling. She shook herself. "I will stay to help as long as I can. I do not want to endanger these people though. If it comes to it, Artus. You _will_ surrender me." Steel rang in her words.

"We will see." Artus said, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.

"Where did you get that scanner?" Iriana asked after another mouthful. "Will it come back to bite these people?"

"No." Artus said quietly. "The Corpus won't miss it. Or, more accurately, they won't miss the medical supplies I borrowed from the ship that blew up." Iriana froze and then nodded slowly.

"Couldn't happen to a nicer group of fanatics." Iriana said with a smile. "I trust you swept it?" Artus just looked at her and she sighed. "You _know_ insidious the nutballs can be."

"I do." Artus agreed. "I think I got them all, but we are deep in Grineer territory and these caves block most signals."

"Then… partners?" Iriana asked. "To help these people?" She laid the spoon down and held out a hand.

"Partners." Artus said, taking her hand and giving it a gentle squeeze.

* * *

**Avalon**

"She… _what_?" Karl would rather have been doing anything else. Anything at all. Sara's voice was calm, but… Her face was… a mask. As if the pain behind her eyes was too terrible for her to show anyone.

Karl had come in person to Avalon. Some news simply had to be delivered in person. Michelle had come in with him. As soon as she had heard the news, she had flatly refused to leave his side. She knelt down in front of Sara and held out her arms. The princess' eyes were glistening.

"She jumped off a cliff. She thought we betrayed her." Karl said quietly. Both Serene and Mishka had frozen in place. "We couldn't tell her that we were going to bring her here. I... I couldn't tell her, Sara."

"She… No…" Sara shook her head. "No…" She shook her head savagely. "She is _not dead! She can't be!_" Michelle made a soft, sad sound and eased up to her, pulling Sara in her arms, where the girl suddenly gave a cry and hugged the princess tight, tears falling like rain. "She… she can't be…"

"We don't know if she is dead or not, Sara." Karl said softly. "We haven't found her. When we do, I will come and tell you. Either way, I will tell you. We will not stop looking until we find her."

"What are we going to do _now_?" Sara demanded, burying her face in Michelle's shoulder. The princess held her gently.

"Your family is welcome to stay here." Michelle said quietly. "For as long as you want to stay." Serene nodded soberly. But then again, she had a small blanket wrapped form in her lap. Mishka looked… lost. "Mishka?"

"She wouldn't do that." Mishka said slowly. "She wouldn't. Why?" She demanded from Karl who sighed.

"We erred, Mishka." Karl said softly. "You… have heard what happened last month." It wasn't a question.

"I saw it on the monitor." Mishka said, confused. "Sara, Serene and I watched. That… That Ember went nuts."

"No." Karl said softly. "She had cause to be angry. She overreacted. At least…" He said with a sigh. "_I_ think she did. Do you know why she did what she did?"

"She lost her husband." Serene said and Mishka nodded. "She was grieving."

"We… heard of a means to stop the infested once and for all. We jumped at it." Karl said quietly. "The method involved a hurt young woman, one a bit older than you Mishka. Iriana bonded with that young woman. She was hurt and Iriana has always had an affinity for hurt beings." Mishka, Sara and Serene all nodded. "We lied to your mother to get her away from the girl. So the girl could be used against the Infested." Mishka went still. Sara as well. "We were ordered to, but…" He bowed his head. "A Tenno known as Dust and Jasmina, his mate, went and stopped the machine that we had been told would kill the Infested. We _hadn't_ been told it would destroy all traces of the virus. Including the traces in Tenno DNA." Sara gasped but remained silent. "Dust died stopping the machine. When… Jasmina found out what we had done… She was… very angry."

"Hard to blame her." Serene said softly. "She always was a cliché hot head, but… If she _did_ love that man… Aw crap…" The female Tenno swallowed hard.

"We were going to try and help her." Karl said slowly. "The Infested did something to her. She…" Michelle snarled and he stopped as Michelle gave Sara a hug.

"Mother _blundered_." Michelle said flatly. "She would be the first to say so." Sara and Mishka both gasped at the princess' words, but Karl and Serene nodded. "She erred badly in assuming that Jasmina would surrender. I barely _knew_ Jasmina and I knew better than _that_. Jasmina has cut ties with us. She took other vows."

"Is she a renegade?" Sara asked, scared. She had had some… bad experiences with renegade Tenno.

"No." Karl said sadly. "Some may call her that, but she is still Tenno. Just… not of us. She won't initiate hostilities."

"What…? What do we do?" Mishka asked plaintively. "What _can_ we do?"

"I need you to stay and help Serene." Karl said quietly. "Ric is functional again. He and Cecelia will be returning with me. I need them at the dojo. Jac… She stays here." Jac hadn't delivered her child yet, and there had been a few complications, but nothing Orokin medical tech couldn't handle.

"How are the others handling this?" Serene asked softly. "_I_ had a moment of doubt myself when I saw the Glaive fly. Just like the First…" She shook her head.

"About as well as can be expected." Karl said with another sigh. "It's not every day we see such a legend come to life. And angry with _us_."

"Karl." Serene said soberly. "What are you going to do?"

"Find Iriana and find Jasmina." Karl said with a shrug. "Try to fix this. If I can."

"Anything I can do to help, you have but to ask." Serene said softly, rocking the bundle in her arms. "I know Jac feels the same way. I knew Jasmina well. If I can talk to her... Maybe she will listen."

"Take care of your family, Serene." Karl said softly. "Jac… I hope Aeron talks to her. I brought him but…" He shrugged. "He hasn't been talking much."

"Have _you?_" Serene asked slowly.

"No." Karl said simply. "The person I need to talk to… I can't find."

"Please find my mom." Mishka said in a scared, soft voice. Michelle held out her arms and Mishka swarmed into them, crying. Michelle hugged both girls tight. "Please."

"I will do my best." Karl said with a bow to the two girls. He nodded to Serene and Michelle, then left the room.


	4. Chapter 4

**Needs and wishes**

Iriana woke to a need. She ignored it. The pain was less. But the craving was greater. She recalled what she knew of addiction. Usually defined as a strong and harmful need to regularly have something, she knew it was a psychological response to physical changes. She focused her mind as she had been taught and the need faded somewhat. It did not go away completely, but she hadn't expected it to. Opiates were incredibly powerful drugs. They had been grown in any number of places during Orokin because of their incredible uses in medicine and science. So it wasn't unheard of for fragmentary colonies to have fields of poppy flowers.

Iriana had never been one for drugs. She had always been able to retard pain receptors with careful pulses of energy. Stimulate parts of the body with energy to provide what was needed. The technology that she had taken for granted had far fewer side effects. But these people didn't _have_ much of that technology. She didn't blame Pat for giving her the morphine. The medic had been trying to help. But it was going to cause problems. She remembered what she had read of withdrawal sickness and shivered.

"Iri?" Pat's voice preceded the woman into the room. Iriana stared at her. The medic looked terrible. "You awake?"

"Pat?" Iriana asked, concerned. "What is wrong?" She demanded.

"What?" Pat asked and then flushed a bit. "I… Oh…" She shrugged a bit. "I didn't get any sleep. I have been recharging and using the regenerator." Iriana looked at her and Pat flushed deeper. "To be able to actually help… I…"

"Pat." Iriana said mildly. "If _you_ fall apart, who helps these people?" She started to say something biting and curbed her tongue. She wasn't fit to complain about Pat's work. "What is _wrong_?"

"I don't know." Pat admitted as she came into the room and sat heavily in a chair by the bed. "Most of my patients are out of danger. It will take time to heal them all, with only one regenerator. The injuries are extensive and spread over a couple dozen people I can save…" Sadness sounded in her tone, but her face was calm. "But…" She shook her head and slumped, obviously bone weary.

"What is _wrong_?" Iriana repeated quietly. "Maybe I can help. Give me something to think on. Take my mind off this… craving."

"Do you need more?" Pat asked carefully.

"_No_!" Iriana snapped, and then quailed as Pat recoiled. "Sorry… Sorry… I just… No…" She pleaded.

"Iri, I did what I could at the time." Pat said sadly. "You are… not the only person in withdrawal. At least _you_ are nice about it."

"It was all you had, wasn't it?" Iriana asked, her tone super soft. Pat nodded, her face in her hands. "Don't blame yourself. I will… need more. A lesser dose. But… not yet." She said, ignoring how her fingers were shaking slightly. "What is wrong?"

"One of my patients caught a burst of fire from a Grineer weapon." Pat said sadly. "I regenerated her injuries, but she is not waking up. The others… The ones who _will_ wake up, have. Not her."

"Do you have her profile?" Iriana asked after a moment's thought. Grineer weapons were nasty. It could be any kind of problem. "Was she on morphine?"

"Yes and yes." Pat said with a sigh as she pulled a datapad out of her pocket and started to scan it. "I was just trying to keep people comfortable. It was _all_ I could do!" She was nearly in tears.

"Pat, I am not blaming you." Iriana said with a frown. "I have never been stuck in that situation. I don't second guess people afterwards. I try not to anyway. Let me see." She held out her free hand to Pat who carefully handed her the datapad. Iriana scanned the readings and paused. "What is this?" She pointed finger at one line that stood out to her.

"I don't know." Pat admitted. "This is way above my head, Iri." Iriana nodded slowly.

"I need to see her." Pat went still at Iriana's words. "My arm, leg and head are all that is left, yes?"

"Iri…" Pat warned her.

"Pat, I need to _see_ her, maybe touch her." Iriana said softly. "I think I know what it is, but if I am wrong, the treatment will kill her. I can't teach you in a few minutes what drugs interact with what effects from Grineer weapons. I _think_ I can help her, but I need your help to do it. Is Artus here?"

"No." Pat said with a sigh. "He comes and goes."

"Missions." Iriana said under her breath.

"What was that?" Pat asked quickly and Iriana shrugged.

"It is really none of my business." Iriana said softly. "And if you are wise, you won't press. I have known Tenno." She shook herself. "Pat… If I can help, I must. Please?"

"Iri…" Pat said softly. Then she slumped. "We don't have any wheelchairs or gurneys."

"You have a couple of strong backs?"

* * *

It had to be the strangest form of transportation that Iriana had ever encountered. The seat wasn't very uncomfortable. Two men who had the ends of the rope that held the seat up around their shoulders. But every time they took steps, Iriana felt twinges up her leg. Twinges that ranged from 'hey, this is hurting' to 'OMG my leg is about to fall off!' A wheeled contrivance at her feet kept her legs out straight and both had been bound together. At least her broken right arm was bound securely to her chest. The plumbing tubes had been turned off and while it was humiliating, she kept up a conversation with Pat who was doing everything but wring her hands. She had a pack filled with anything and everything that they had that Iriana thought she might need. The two men carried Iriana towards where she could hear the groans and muted whimpers of injured people.

"You say she is 34, and has two children?" Iriana said, looking at the datapad. "The husband?"

"Me." One of her bearers said quietly. "Name is Karol."

"Okay, Karol." Iriana gasped as a particularly rough step jarred her leg, but continued. "Has she ever been sick?"

"No. Sorry for the rough ride, Ma'am." The man said apologetically. "Never did this before."

"You are doing fine." Iriana said, trying not to wince as the wheels under her leg cast bounced a bit. She smiled a bit. "It's a day for firsts. What is _her_ name?" She asked gently.

"Her name is Jeni." The man said with a small sound of grief. "Can you… Can you _really_ help her?" Hope sounded in the grief.

"I don't know." Iriana admitted. "I will do my best. It may not be enough." She cautioned. "Grineer weapons are _nasty_."

"Don't need to tell me that." Karol said with a wince. "All we could do was run."

"Yeah." Iriana said softly. "I know the feeling." She shook her head. "How far?" She said with a gulp as her leg hurt again.

"Next room." Karol said. Pat ran ahead to get the door and the men turned so that they could slowly and carefully ease Iriana through the doorway. As soon as she turned back, her eyes went to the still form in the bead. Two small children –a boy and a girl, neither over ten years old- were staring at the men and the healer. "Kana, Scin, go to your aunt's."

"But dad…" The girl started.

"Let them stay." Iriana said quickly as the man drew breath to order them to leave. "Jeni needs a reason to stay." The healer said sadly. "I need to touch her. Pat?" She held out her hand for the scanner. Pat gave it to her and Iriana fiddled with it for a moment, holding it in her right hand while she worked with her left. The men eased her closer to the bed and Iriana ran the scanner's field over the still woman, then perused the readouts.

"What are you…?" The girl who had spoken started to ask, but was shushed by her brother.

"It looks like she is allergic to one of the maintenance oils that Grineer use on their weapons." Iriana said after a moment. "I have never seen this reaction, but it _is_ from an allergy and if she has never been sick before, then it _has_ to be from Grineer tech. This…" She paused and stared at the screen. "You got all the bullets out." She said to Pat who had frozen. "But I think… Yes, there is a fragment. Get it out, suppress the allergy and she should be fine."

"I scanned." Pat said weakly.

"Yes, you did." Iriana said sternly. "Bullet fragments can be _very_ hard to detect. Give me the variable puller and get the regenerator and a regular allergy suppressant ready, class three." Her tone changing from worried to professional.

She held out a hand and Pat placed an odd length of metal in her hand. Iriana checked it, checked her scanner once and then laid the end of the device on the woman's chest. A hum sounded and all eyes turned to where a tiny red spot appeared on the woman's bandaged chest.

"You are hurting her!" The boy exclaimed, his hands in fists.

"No." Iriana said mildly as she watched the blood. "I am _healing_ her." Something jerked out of the woman's chest and the blood spurted a little. "There we go. Bullet fragment is out. Pat. Regen." She commanded.

Pat stepped close with the regenerator. A play of energy across the woman's chest made the blood vanish. Iriana nodded and held out a hand. Pat placed a hypo in Iriana's hand and Iriana checked it out of reflex, then injected the woman.

"How long will it-?" Karol started to ask, but broke off with a gasp as the woman in the bed moaned.

"Karol?" The woman's voice was weak, but grew in strength. "What happened?"

"Jeni?" Karol laid the rope he held down, easing Iriana to the floor. "Oh Jeni!" He rushed to the bed, his kids close. "You were hurt!"

Pat made a strangled noise, but Iriana waved her off. The other man shook his head, and lifted her up so she could see. She nodded her thanks to him.

"Don't move too fast, Ma'am." Iriana said quietly when Jeni struggled to sit up. "You were hurt very badly. And then you were sick from your injuries."

"_You_ are hurt." Jeni said, her eyes lingering on Iriana's bandaged head and the casts.

"Healing people is what I do." Iriana said with a smile. "Rest up, Jeni. Your family needs you." She slumped a bit in relief and let Pat take the hypo from her. "Back to bed?"

"Yeah." Pat said quietly. "I'll get someone else."

"I can get her back, Pat." The man holding Iriana up said quietly.

"Jason…" Pat said in exasperation. "You will hurt her."

"The sooner the better, Pat." Iriana said, trying not to squirm. "I am going to need the tube reconnected." Pat grimaced but nodded.

"I got you Ma'am." The man said, hefting her up carefully and carrying her from the room. Just outside he paused. "Move, Jal." He commanded. Iriana looked up into yet another haggard human face, this one taut with fear and… Something else.

"She can save Melina!" The man snapped. "She _has_ to save Melina!"

"Jal!" Pat said, her voice angry as she shut the door behind her. "I told you, Melina's _gone!_ Iri can't do anything!" She raised her voice. "We need help here!" She called.

"I don't believe you!" The desperate man said, taking a step forward. But suddenly, there were two _more_ men in the corridor, standing between the two women and the upset Jal.

"The medic told you, Jal." Jason said in a sad tone. "I am sorry for your loss, but you have to let Melina go."

"She is all I have left!" Jal nearly screamed. "She has got to _try_!"

"Where is she?" Iriana's soft, hurting words cut through the tension in the corridor like a knife. "I don't know if there is anything I can do. But I will try."

"Iri." Pat said in disapproval. "I can _hear_ the pain in your voice. You have a nosebleed." Iriana wiped her nose and yes, there was blood.

"It's what I _do_, Pat." Iriana said mildly. "If I ignore a cry for help… what am I?"

"Tenno." The hate filled word from every throat had Iriana pausing. Pat shook her head.

"Iri, you are hurt. Hurt worse." Pat said with a sigh. "You have to go back to bed."

"Let me _see_ her." Iriana pleaded. "Maybe I can't do anything. Jal. You have to understand. I am a _doctor_, not a _god_. There are _limits_ to what I can do. If I can't help…" She trailed off as Jal made a soft moaning sound.

"I know." Jal said softly. "I… I won't blame you."

"_I_ will." Iriana said into the silence that fell. "I blame myself for every patient I lose." She looked at Pat who looked indecisive. "Please?"

"Don't move." Pat said, pulling out a scanner. She ran the device up and down, scanning Iriana's head, arm and leg. She didn't like what she found, but then she nodded slowly. "You are going to be stubborn. Every doc I have known was."

"It's one of the classes you have to pass with perfect marks at doctor school." Iriana said with a slightly strained grin. "But yes. I am going to insist."

"I don't like this." Pat said sharply. She waved the men who had come at her call for help away with a murmur of thanks. They both nodded and left. "But you are the doc."

"There may be something else I can do." Iriana said softly. "In my stuff… there was a small silver box." Pat looked at her. "It's gene locked, you won't be able to open it."

"What is it?" Pat asked, curious. "Like you say, we couldn't open it. Obviously wasn't a weapon."

"Weapon come in all manner of shapes. But as for what it is? My past." Iriana replied softly. "Jal, I give you my word, I will do what I can. But… I may not be able to do _anything_. If she is hurt as badly as Pat has said… Then there may be nothing _anyone_ could do."

"Please try." Jal begged.

"I will." Iriana said softly. "Jason? Take me to Melina. Pat? Give me a scanner and I need that box. I may not be able to use it. But I might." Pat leveled a withering glare on Jal, handed Iriana the scanner and then turned on her heel and left. Jason started off carefully with Jal matching pace. "What happened?"

"We were running." Jal said quietly, the grief in his voice clear. "None of the others… got out." Iriana bowed her head and Jal continued after a moment. "We were clear, running away. Then she stumbled… Fell… I picked her up and… her head was a mess. It wasn't _just_ blood." He said in a sick voice. "Please, she is all I have left."

Jal led them to another door. In the room beyond a still form lay on the bed. The girl –Iriana's heart froze- the girl looked a bit like her daughter Mishka. About the same age. A chair stood by the bed.

"Get me close, Jason." Iriana commanded. He complied and Iriana winced at the smell. Jal paced at the side, looking very worried. She saw the marks of needles on the girl's arm, but that wasn't her main concern. The bandages on the girl's head were stained and smelled. She took a sniff and nearly choked. As Jal had said… Brain matter. She keyed the scanner, praying. But what she saw made her heart sink. "Chair." She commanded. Jason sat her down carefully.

"Well?" Jal asked, heart in his voice.

"Pat told you the truth, Jal." Iriana said sadly. "Your daughter is dead." Jal let loose a pain filled scream and Iriana nodded. "I am sorry."

"You need to go back to your bed." Jason said sadly. "I'll…"

"Not. Yet." Iriana said softly. "Jal. Come here." She beckoned him close with her free hand. "Jason, leave."

"What?" The man snapped. "No way!"

"Jason, I am about to break a whole _lot_ of rules." Iriana said with a snap. She turned to see Pat come in, the silver box in hand. It was half the size of the human woman's palm. "Pat? I need you and Jason to leave the room and keep everyone away. Out of earshot."

"What?" Pat demanded, clutching the box even when Iriana reached for it. "Why?"

"Because I am about to violate a couple of dozen rules." Iriana said calmly. "But… If that were my daughter… I would want what I can give Jal. Please." She begged Pat. "What happens here must remain here. If… If my past catches up to me, no one will be blamed but me. Maybe Jal. But he… has nothing else to lose." Jal stared at her and then nodded jerkily.

"Iri…" Pat said, not comprehending. "She is dead."

"Yes she is." Iriana said calmly. "But she isn't gone yet." Pat froze. Jal and Jason both looked blank, but Pat hissed. "You understand what I am about to do?"

"You… are a _Healer_." Pat said, her tone reverent and scared.

"I _was_." Iriana agreed. "Please."

Pat shook her head, but in awe, not negation. She handed Iriana the box, waved to Jason and while h shrugged, he did as instructed. Only after they were gone did Iriana turn to Jal.

"What happens in here, remains in here." Iriana said softly. "My past is…" She swallowed.

"You have a daughter?" Jal asked quietly.

"She is about Melina's age." Iriana said sadly. "Looks like her too."

"Probably a holy terror." Jal said with a forced laugh. "What do I do? What do I say?"

"You do not say _anything_." Iriana said with a sigh. "Not. A. Word." She tapped the box and it opened. A holograph of the Lotus' symbol appeared in mid-air over it. Jal went stock still.

"You…?" He said, hope warring with terror. "_You_ are…"

"_Not a word_, Jal." Iriana said with a snap. "I am not a Warrior. I am a Healer. Charged with _protecting_ life. _Nurturing_ it and in the fullness of time, or in the most grievous extremity, _ending_ it peacefully. _That_ is my charge. _That_ is what I do."

"What do_ I_ do?" Jal asked, calming.

"Lay down beside her." Iriana said, pulling leads from the box. She attached one set to her own forehead where the bandages did not reach, then did the same for Jeni. She held out the last set for Jal. "Touch the end to your forehead. It will stick."

"What are you going to do?" Jal asked as he did what she ordered.

"I am going to let you say goodbye."


	5. Chapter 5

**Goodbyes**

Iriana was ready when she materialized in the small room that was her normal means of visualizing the interior of her mind. The ceiling was high and vaulted, the walls and floor had Lotus symbols, just as she had been taught. She found what she had expected. A small human girl was sitting in the middle of the room, staring around herself wildly. She wore a filthy jumpsuit and her head was bandaged, just like the girl on the bed.

"Melina?" Iriana asked gently. The girl jumped.

"What?" The girl said, shooting to her feet and backing up. "Who are you?" She demanded. Fear rang through her tone. "I don't know you!"

"My name is Iriana." Iriana said gently. "I am a Healer."

"You…" The girl slowly calmed as she realize Iriana was not going to hurt her. "What happened? I was running and something hit me…"

"You were shot." Iriana said sadly. "The damage is too much, Melina. It cannot be repaired."

"What?" Melina asked, confused. "Wait… Where are we?"

"We are inside my mind." Iriana said gently. "I know this is a shock. But you need to say goodbye to your father."

"No." Melina begged. "I can't. All the others… We watched those filthy brutes gun them down and laugh."

"Melina." Iriana said softly. "You were shot in the head. Even the best medical technology cannot replace memories that were destroyed. Cannot remake a person the same when the bits that make up that person are destroyed. You died when you were hit by that bullet. But your body did not and that left you stuck."

"I heard… dad crying…" Melina said, her eyes far away. "He said bad words and cried a lot. I couldn't… I couldn't wake up!"

"He loves you and this will hurt him, Melina." Iriana said sadly. "But if he is not given the chance to say goodbye, it will hurt him _worse_. I am a Healer. I want to help you both. I can help him and ease you on your way. That is all I can do."

"You… hurt…" Melina said her eyes on Iriana, but seeing far deeper than skin. "Why do you hurt?"

"I have been betrayed." Iriana replied. "But… mainly I live to help others. To take broken bodies and minds and make them whole again. When I can't... When I fail…" She slumped. "It hurts. Here." She touched herself over the heart. "I cannot save your life. I can _ease_ you and your father."

"How?" Melina asked softly. "If I am dead…" She shook her head. "Am I going to Heaven?" She asked, her face scared. "Mom said that if I was a good girl I would go to Heaven. I tried to be good. I really did."

"I don't know, Melina." Iriana said sadly. "None of my kind will go there." Melina's eyes went wide.

"That is… sad." Melina said softly. "You won't ever see your mother or father again? After?"

"I don't know." Iriana said with a sigh. "We don't have a lot of time, Melina. But I won't do this without your permission. Can I bring your father here?"

"You could just do it." Melina said, dubious.

"It wouldn't be right." Iriana said as she sat cross legged. She beckoned the girl and Melina came close and then sat on Iriana's lap. Melina was crying softy as Iriana rubbed her shoulders, gently soothing the girl's taut muscles. She slowly relaxed.

"I don't want to go." Melina said through her tears.

"I don't want you to either, sweetheart." Iriana said softly. "I want to make your body work again. I want to see you smile. And I won't." She bowed her head over Melina's and cried as well. "I am sorry."

"You are hurt." Melina said, startled, jerking back. "When I touch you… I feel your pain. No!" She begged as Iriana held her. "I am hurting you!" She pleaded. "I don't mean to be bad."

"You are not." Iriana said gently. "You are a little girl whose life has been cut far too short. A girl who deserved the chance to run and play. The chance to grow up, to find love and have kids of your own. Not this. You did not deserve this." Pain that had nothing to do with physical injuries rang through Iriana's being. The girl looked _so_ much like Mishka when she tilted her head in confusion.

"You…" Melina stared at Iriana for a moment and then reached around to hug the healer. "Why does it hurt you so much? Seeing me?"

"My own daughter is about your age." Iriana spoke in a gentle, quiet voice. "She looks a little like you. I don't know where she is, if she is safe or even _alive_. I want to help."

"You have." Melina said quietly. She retreated a bit and Iriana let her go until the girl was sitting beside her. "I can talk to my dad now."

"Brave girl." Iriana said, her voice soft. She spoke louder, commanding. "Come on in, Jal."

Jal appeared nearby, his form standing. He jumped as he looked around, but then his eyes lit on Melina and he dashed to where she sat. She jumped up to hug him tight. Iriana remained silent. This was not her time. Not yet.

"Melina." Jal's voice was a mix of horror, self-loathing and wonder. "Oh Melina, I am sorry."

"For what, Dad?" Melina said calmly. "You did everything you could. You gave me something that made the pain stop." Jal jerked and Melina nodded. "I could hear you. Mom would wash your mouth out with _soap_ for some of what you said." Her grin was wide.

"Yeah." Jal agreed, laughing and crying in equal measure. "That she would. Oh Melina…" He hugged her tight. "I don't want to lose you."

"It's not your fault, Dad." Melina said softly. "You believe it is, but it isn't. Those filthy Green-eer brutes hurt me. Not you." Melina looked at Iriana who bowed her head. "You have to let me go, Dad."

"I… I can't." Jal's tone was abject. "You are all I have left."

"There were other kids, weren't there?" Melina said softly. "Ones who lost their parents?" Jal jerked and Melina nodded. "They need a dad. You need someone to take care of."

"Don't say that!" Jal nearly shouted. "I… Melina… I can't…"

"Dad." The girl said gently. "The Healer is waiting. She has given us this chance. Don't blame her."

"I don't." Jal said softly. "Other Tenno may have ignored us, or left us to die. But she came to help you, even when hurt. I owe you." He said, raising his eyes to meet Iriana's.

"You owe me nothing, Jal." Iriana said kindly. "This is what I _do_. I repair when I can, heal when I can. Ease when I must."

"It cannot be easy." Jal said, holding Melina close.

"Nothing worthwhile ever is." Iriana said gently. "But our time is almost up."

"What happens if we are here when…" Jal swallowed hard.

"If she is here in my mind when she goes, we die." Iriana said quietly. "I cannot allow you to follow her, Jal. She is lost, you are not." Jal opened his mouth to protest, but Melina beat her to it.

"Dad…" The girl said softly. "She will stay, even if it kills her, to save you." Jal stared at Iriana incredulous and then paled as the Tenno Healer nodded. "She has a girl of her own. Don't… Don't orphan her little girl too. Please, Dad."

"I _never_ win arguments with you." Jal said unhappily. But then he hugged her tight again and released her. "What do we…? What can I… do?" A door appeared on one wall of the small room and Melina sighed and started for it. There was pitch blackness on the other side. "Melina, I love you!" Jal said, his heart breaking, tears falling.

"I love you too, Dad." Melina said with tears falling to match his. "Miss Iriana. I am ready."

"Step through the doorway, dear Melina." Iriana said, her own voice calm, but tears of her own falling. "Be at peace." The girl smiled, stepped through the door and vanished. Jal gave a cry, but then sank to his knees beside Iriana.

"Thank you." He said softly through his tears. "It hurts. But… She isn't hurting anymore, is she?"

"No, she is not." Iriana said sadly. "It doesn't help much. But it is all we have."

"She called you Iriana." Jal said softly. "I swear I should know that name from somewhere."

"Please call me Iri." Iriana said softly. "The fewer people who know what I… used to be... the better. My past is gone. I will likely never see my children or my adopted sister again. I have to… move on. So must you."

"I understand, Iri." Jal said quietly. "That cannot be easy for you to do. For this… At any time, at any price, I am your man."

"_Don't_ say that!" Iriana snapped, startling Jal. "Don't… Just…" She started crying harder. "Just _don't_…We need to go back."

"How do we…?" Jal was asking as the world around them vanished.

* * *

As soon as Iriana opened her eye, she knew Melina had stopped breathing. The healer had fallen on her side, not that uncommon, but she had landed on her right arm and it hurt like fire. She waited until Jal gasped for air and then retracted the leads of her neural link back into the box, shutting it with a click. She felt her eye burn as Jal cried.

"I am sorry, Jal." Iriana said with a wince as pain rose inside her. Her leg was on fire, her arm hurt like blazes and her head was starting to throb.

"You did me a service, Miss Iri." Jal said softly, then froze, staring at her. "You are bleeding from your nose and ear!" He said, then shook himself, rising. Before she could protest, he had her in hand, stepping towards the door. "Pat!" He called, his voice stronger than it had been.

"Jal? What?" Pat and Jason came running, and skidded to a stop as they took in the scene. "What happened?"

"Melina is gone." Jal said softly. "She helped us both. But she is _bleeding_!"

"Just a nosebleed." Iriana said weakly. Pat shook her head and ran a scanner over the slumping healer. "I… am okay…"

"No, you are not." Pat said, paling. "Come on, let's get you back to bed." Iriana started to protest, but Jal just hefted her and started off, Jason taking her feet carefully.

Truth be told, Iriana was weaving. Everything hurt, and her head was on fire. It didn't usually feel like that when she connected neural feeds. Maybe she was hurt worse than she thought? Or something to do with merging to humans? She hadn't done that very often. She didn't know and the pain was increasing. She barely felt it when she was laid back on a bed, when tubes connected and pressures eased. She was trying not to writhe in the agony that was seeping through her brain. She heard raised voices, then it all went away.

"Iriana?" A worried voice spoke and Iriana jerked. She wasn't in the bed anymore. She was on an exam table in a Tenno style facility. Or… No. It wasn't real. This was a mental projection. She stared at the young female Tenno who stood nearby, clad in an odd but beautiful golden gown. She knew this Tenno!

"Michelle?" Iriana said, stunned. "Wha…?"

"What has happened to you?" The other asked, stunned. "I can feel your pain. Who has hurt you?" The younger woman demanded stepping closer. "What happened?"

"No." Iriana begged. "Stay away…"

"Iriana, please!" Michelle begged. "I want to help! _We_ want to help! Tell me where you are! Sara and Mishka are going _crazy_ with worry. They need their _mom_ back!"

"Get away…" Iriana slurred as she tried to retreat, but could not move. "Bunch of liars… gonna take _my_ brain matter now?" She asked as gowned forms appeared beside Michelle, armed with gleaming instruments. "Like that poor girl?"

"Iriana, you have massive neural trauma." Michelle said quickly. "Please, let us help! We felt you access the link, we couldn't track it. Where _are_ you? We can send _help_! Without help you will _die_."

"Would rather die than help you! You… Tenno… took my patient from me… Gave her to that monster…" Iriana slurred, struggling as something wrapped around her. "I am a _Healer_, not a _butcher_. _Let. Me. Go_." She struggled for all she was worth and then…

"Iri!" Pat's voice was sharp with worry. "Iri, come on, stay with us." Iriana felt herself start to fade, but something hard grabbed her and held her as she tried to flee her mortal shell. She stared up at the Volt warframe that had a hand on hers, another on her chest. She smiled and fell into blackness.

* * *

"What was _that_?" Pat asked, stunned. "She was… She was talking to someone… Someone else." She stared down at the sleeping healer, her worry slowly easing as she saw Iri's rhythms stabilizing. The fight to save Iriana had been taxing, even with Artus' aid. Whatever the woman had done with Jal had hurt Iri inside the woman's brain. Pat wasn't sure if the wounds could be treated. If so, they were beyond her ability.

"I don't know." Artus said quietly. "This is beyond my skills."

"She said a name…" Pat said softly. "Michelle. And what was that about being _betrayed_?"

"Pat." Artus said softly. "Don't press her. She has reasons to hide what she was." He slumped a bit. "You think you are the _only_ ones who have been abused?"

"No." Pat said quietly, the horror of what she had heard shaking her. Just listening to the woman shout at whoever she had been talking to had been… horrific. Taking brain matter from a girl? No wonder the kind doctor was irate. "Iri is a good person."

"The best." Artus agreed.

"Who would do that to her?" Pat said sadly, smoothing the new bandages over the sleeping woman's face. "Hurt her so badly that she would try to _kill_ herself rather than let them take her?"

"Your opinion of my kind is hardly unique." Artus said calmly. "And not without merit."

"Tenno did this to her." Pat said firmly. Artus did not react and she sighed. "What can we do?"

"Help her through this." Artus said softly. "You had to up the dose to keep her still while you drained the hematoma. She is going to be… a handful when she wakes." That had been bad, but then Iriana had started speaking aloud even unconscious. Shouting. _Screaming_. Finally, she had stopped, but then her _heart_ had stopped. Artus had brought her back, but…

"At least we regened her leg." Pat said with a sigh, smiling at the now uncovered limb. But her face fell as she looked at Iriana's right arm. "What does 'Error code 34A90' _mean_ anyway? It _should_ have _worked_!"

"No idea." Artus said with a shrug. "But it doesn't really matter, Pat. You don't have a choice now."

"I know." Pat said saidly as she reached for tools nearby. "I just hope she forgives me."

"She is a doc." Artus said as Pat picked up a sonic bone saw. "She understands about cellular death. Amputation is extreme, but the only choice with the entire limb failing as it is."

"Will you…stay?" Pat asked as she pulled a surgical mask over her face.

"I will." Artus said with a nod as he took hold of Iriana's good and soon to be only hand. Pat nodded and bent to her horrific task.

* * *

**Avalon**

"Princess Michelle…" Guard Commander Petra was not in a good mood as she watched Michelle toss gear into a small pack. "You can't go."

"_Don't_ try to stop me, Petra." Michelle, princess of Avalon, said with a snarl. She was in a worse mood than her guard. "I got a bit of a fix on her, I am going after her."

"Princess…" The head medic, called Chirurgeon, said slowly. "No one else could see where she was. No one else got _anything_ from the link but pain and fear." It wasn't commonly known that Healers could access neural linkages. Fewer still knew they could be tracked by other Healers when using said linkages. That fact that _Michelle_ could access those links was due in no small part to her… unique history. A history she shared with the lost Healer.

"I am _not_ letting Mishka and Sara's mom _die_!" Michelle said with a louder snarl. "She was in a _cave_ somewhere. I got that. That narrows it somewhat. Karl said she was on Mercury. That narrows it _further_."

"Michelle." The princess did not look up as her mother entered her chambers. "You can't go."

"We _caused_ this, mother!" Michelle said with a sigh. "We have to try and fix it."

"Michelle…" Eliza, Empress of Orokin said firmly. "You are next in line for the throne and do not have an heir yet. You. Can't. Go." This was not a mother grounding a child. This was an Empress' command.

"Mom…" Michelle slumped in place, her face falling. "I… I saw a bit more than anyone else. I can _find_ her!"

"_If_ what you saw is real, then we will notify Karl at the next scheduled contact." Eliza said firmly. "Yes. We are responsible." Eliza said with a sigh. "I… thought it was a good idea. Even when Karl and the others protested, I believed the lies. I wanted to." She shook her head. "Michelle, I need you to sit down with Petra and think about everything you remember. Smells, sounds, _anything_ and _everything_."

"Mom." Michelle said sadly. "She saved my life. I owe her."

"It was her _job_ to save your life." Eliza said with no give at all. "_Your_ job is to protect the feeble remnants of Orokin. _Do_ your _job_." This last was a command.

"I…" Michelle slumped in place and the pack she had been filling slipped out of her fingers to fall to the floor. "Yes, Empress." She would not meet anyone's eyes as she moved to the bed and sat, tears starting to fall, but then... She tensed.

_We hear._ A soft, barely audible voice sounded in Michelle's mind. _We will find her__._

The last time, Michelle had heard the soft voice that sounded so like hers… It had promised that she would hear from them again. Infested. But instead of horror, Michelle felt a surge of hope.

_Jasmina…_


	6. Chapter 6

**Searches**

Iriana woke in a cold sweat. Her entire body felt… Something was wrong! Her leg felt far, far better than it should have. So someone had probably used up a large chunk of the regenerator's power supply on her broken bones. Her head felt…funny. But it was her arm… She opened her eye and looked down at… where her right arm should have been. It wasn't there.

"Oh ancestors…" Iriana said with a gulp as she slowly reached across with her left hand to… touch the bandaged stump that ended halfway between her right shoulder and where her right elbow had been. "_Why_?" She pleaded.

"Error code 34A90." A familiar voice spoke from nearby and Artus appeared in her field of vision. "What does it mean?"

"Not… enough…" Iriana swallowed. "Not enough baseline material to start regeneration. Basically… too much cellular damage. Means it…was putrefying. It… It wasn't that bad." She was shaking. Rage or something… "I… It _wasn't that bad!_" She cried.

"You must have bashed it when you helped Jal with Melina. We tried to regen it four times, Iri." Pat said from behind Artus. The medic looked like hell. "I am sorry, Iri, but it was decaying." Iriana was shaking her head, wild rage surging in her.

"Pat." Artus said quickly. "Out!" he commanded as Iriana surged up from the bed, only to be caught by strangely gentle armored hands and held impotently thrashing her legs and remaining arm. Pat fled and Artus laid Iriana back down, holding her to the bed. "Ma'am. You had a subdural hematoma as well as the arm. You had a heart attack while you were out. You need to calm down."

"Calm?" Iriana screamed. "I'll give you _calm_, you lousy excuse for a _Tenno_!" She swung at him, yelping in pain as something in her left hand went crack, but she kept hitting him. She was amazed. Why was she so angry?

"It isn't you." Artus said with sadness. "We had to give you… a lot of morphine to keep you still while Pat drilled the holes to let the fluid drain from your head and then to take off your arm." Iriana hit him again and something else went crack. "Ma'am!" He snapped. "Please stop! You are hurting yourself."

"Don't care!" Iriana nearly screamed. "Lousy lying warriors! All of you! Every last one of you! You lie! Go ahead, beat me, shoot me, take pieces of _my_ brain out! _I can't stop you!_" Now she _was_ screaming. Artus… just held her gently. "_I can't stop you!_"

"Easy, ma'am." Artus said as Iriana slumped. "You are coming down. This is going to be… rough."

"Wish I was _dead_." Iriana sobbed. "This… this…" Indeed, the cravings were intense. Far more intense than anything she had ever imagined. "I… Help?" She begged.

"Ma'am." Artus said softly. "The only way we have to alleviate your withdrawal…"

"No…" Iriana said softly. "No…" She pleaded.

"…is by giving you more." Artus said, his posture tense. "I… could get you to a detox facility I know of…"

"The moment you take me there, they will find me." Iriana said softly then shook her head savagely. "No." Her hand was shaking as she held it out. "Give."

"Ma'am… Iri…" Artus said softly. "I can't do that to you."

"Give it to me, Artus." Iriana said flatly. "Now."

"If I give it to you, you will overdose or inject yourself with air bubbles to suicide." Artus said reasonably. "I won't kill you or let you die."

"_Give it to me!_" Iriana screamed. "I won't let you Warriors destroy me! I'll do it to _myself_!"

"Why?" Artus demanded. "Why give up?"

"I can't fight myself!" Iriana said, suddenly wilting. "This is… too much. Too far. Too…" She gasped and then slumped. She started to cry. "I… I can't…"

"Yes, you can, Healer Iriana." Artus said in a very soft voice. "Healer." He said formally. "I have a patient with head trauma who is now addicted to narcotic painkillers. She is presenting…" He paused as Iriana spoke.

"…aggressive and unpredictable behavior." Iriana said softly, her voice faraway as she focused on her calling. "Treatment is…. As follows. Monitor head wound and eye damage. Treat as required." She was shaking hard now. "Wean from narcotics. Use lesser painkillers if available." She lay back, sobbing. "Artus… I… I can't do this…"

"If that is what you believe…" Artus said softly. "Then no, you won't be able to. I don't believe that. You are stronger than anyone I have ever met. Hurting people is easy, Healer. Fixing them?" He shook his head. "We will help as we can."

"Don't let me near it." Iriana said, swallowing hard. "I won't be able to _stop_ myself."

"I know." Artus said softly. "Pat did what she could."

"Get her in here." Iriana said flatly. Pat entered the room a moment later, looking wary. "You did what you had to, to save my life, Pat. I know that." Iriana said quietly. "But I _hate_ you right now."

"I know." The medic said quietly. "I am sorry, Iri. There was no other way."

"I will try to be… open minded." Iriana said, shaking again. "I will try to be calm. But this…" Indeed, as she focused on them, the cravings intensified. "Give me something else to focus on! _Please_!" She begged.

"Okay." Pat said, leaning against the wall by the door. "I have twenty three patients. Fourteen have minor injuries. Nine have major. None of the injuries are currently life threatening but three are problematic due to the only available painkiller."

"Head trauma?" Iriana said slowly. Pat nodded. "All addicted?" Pat nodded again. "Am I on that list?" Pat shook her head and Iriana sighed. "Put me in there. Okay, worst one first. Do you have a chart?"

"Yes." Pat handed a datapad to Artus who handed it to Iriana. "His name is Goeg. He was a mine inspector. He was struck in the lower back by a Grineer shotgun blast and lost the use of his legs. While he was down, the Grineer shot him in the head when he tried to crawl away. It didn't kill him."

"Tough guy, huh?" Iriana said perusing the datapad.

"You don't know the half of it." Pat said with a sour chuckle. "Anyway… His mine helmet diverted some of the…"

"_Mine_… _helmet_…?" Iriana said, her eyes going wide.

"Yeah." Pat said with a shrug. "We use scavenged gear. Helmets make sense underground. Lots of things to bash heads on."

"And if it is meant to stand up to rock, a puny little bullet isn't going to penetrate it so easily."Iriana said with a nod. "How bad?"

"Problem was that the _bullet_ didn't penetrate, instead it spalled bits of the inside of the helmet off and _they_ hit his head." Pat said with a wince. "No brain damage that I can detect, but lots of trauma. And he is a pain in the butt. Wants to go get even with the Grineer."

"I see." Iriana said with a nod. "What was the helmet made of?"

"Metal outside, plastic lining inside. The pieces that came off and hit his head were plastic so the pieces do not show up on scans that well." Pat said with a wince. "No discernable damage to the brain itself, but lots of mess. Mainly he is paralyzed from the waist down and really, really irritated at the Grineer. He takes it out on everyone around him."

"Joy." Iriana said with a wince. "We may be able to focus the scanners to detect plastic, but that is a finesse job." She held up her shaking hand. "I am not going to be able to do it for a while."

"Iri… I…" Pat stammered, but Iriana ignored her.

"Next?" The doc in the bed said sharply. Pat sighed.

"Rikar." Pat said as she settled down to work with her colleague, Artus maintaining a watch. "Gunshot wound to the left arm with penetrating trauma to chest as well as the remnant of a concussion from a fall…" Iriana focused on the medical stuff. It would keep her from feeling the cravings. She hoped.

* * *

"I don't get it." Janas said softly as he stared at the scene in front of him. No one would blame him for being dubious. "Why are _they_ here?"

The Loki warframe beside him did not speak. Instead, both watched Infested assault the small Grineer outpost. Surprise had been total. One moment, while the sniper Loki had been setting up for a long range harassing shot, everything had been clear, then next, the night had erupted in gunfire, growls and screams. Lots of screams. The Infested had somehow managed to get past the Grineer perimeter patrols and enter their camp where some of them had gone to sleep in the crude bunkhouses that were all that Grineer bothered to make for themselves in the field. It wasn't a battle below anymore, it was a slaughter. Janas did not like feeling sorry for Grineer, but…

"No sign of any leader masses." Janas said as he scanned the battlefield with his sensors. "But this was coordinated. Ordinary Infested wouldn't get past the outer perimeter." The sniper did not respond, instead he swept the battlefield with his Snipetron scope.

Grineer had overkill down to a science. 'When in doubt, get a bigger gun' was their motto. When the bigger gun didn't work, they brought in lots of big guns. If that didn't work, they got more and more, and more until the situation either was resolved or the area they were fighting in was rendered totally uninhabitable. They were crude and loud but they were numerous. The many patrols that had been sent out from the small outpost would have detected regular Infested. The resulting battle would have brought hundreds more Grineer. But…

"Where are the patrols?" Janas asked softly. "They wouldn't just ignore the…" Both her and Aeron spun with oaths as something hit the ground between them. A Kunai! Both froze at what they saw.

"The Grineer patrols are busy." The Ember Prime said calmly, her hand twirling another Kunai. Neither the Ash not the Loki made a move. Jasmina was alone, but… "We are not enemies this day, Tenno. Keep it that way." Then, she dropped a smoke bomb and was _gone! _No noise, no trace of her passage. No _nothing_!

_She teleported! That was an Ash ability!_ Janas thought with a wince. "How the hell…?" Janas said, his tone scared. That was _way_ beyond what even a Prime Ember could do. Not a hologram, he could see the Kunai buried in the dirt nearby. It was starting to disintegrate. So… what?

"Fall back." Aeron said softly. "Now."

"Right." Janas swallowed and did as instructed. They were outmaneuvered and probably surrounded. "Warn the others?"

"I bet they know." Aeron said dryly.

* * *

One moment, all was still. Artus was sitting beside her bed, doing whatever Tenno Warriors _did_ when they had downtime, the next it was chaos. Screams sounded from all over and Artus jumped up, but froze in place as the door opened and a form entered. The Ember Prime held Pat's struggling form in a careful hand.

"… and calm _down_, Lady!" The Ember was saying sharply. "No one is _hurt_. No one is _dead_. Yes, we are scaring people, but for _frack's_ sake, _calm down_! I am _not_ going to hurt you!"

"Let me _go_!" Pat screamed. "Bloody _monsters_!"

"_Jasmina_?" Iriana and Artus both exclaimed as one. They looked at each other and Iriana had to bite back a giggle. It was hard. Jasmina froze on seeing the bandaged Healer.

"What have they _done_ to you, Healer?" Jasmina demanded, her tone harsh. She set Pat on her feet, but held onto the medic as Pat tried to wiggle free. "What did you _do_ to her?" Her tone turned dangerous as she glared at the medic.

"Jasmina…" Iriana said, slumped. "They saved my life. I… Karl's people tried to snatch me. I ran… I… jumped."

"What the _hell_? Karl _knows_ better." Jasmina said, her focus on the Volt now. "Artus?"

"Hello Jasmina." Artus said quietly. He hadn't drawn any weapons, but his hands were on his Lato and Ether Sword. "Didn't expect to see you again anytime soon."

"Iriana is my friend." Jasmina said sharply. "I heard she was missing. I came."

"Iriana?" Pat asked weakly, then her eyes went wide as she stared at the Healer. "You… You are _Healer Iriana?_ The one who worked in the _tower_? The one who came to help when Gillie had her _babies_? The _Tenno Healer_?"

That had been… bad, Iriana remembered. The poor woman had not possessed the strength of body to handle triplets and the birth had been…difficult. Iriana had been called and just as she had arrived, the poor woman had gone into cardiac arrest. Iriana had, with help, managed to save the mother and all three kids, but it had been touch and go. She had hoped to check on them. That was one reason she had gone to the colony where this had all started.

"Who did you _think_ she was?" Jasmina snapped, still upset. "Geez… Iriana… I…" She sounded in tears.

"Everyone, calm down." Iriana said softly. "Jasmina… What have you done?"

"I have teams out harrying the Grineer, but Karl's people are on planet and approaching." Jasmina said with a sigh. "I had planned to come in quietly, but they are coming. So, I came in fast with a few others. They are holding the settlers here until we can egress."

"Teams of _what_?" Artus demanded. "I hear Infested." Iriana went still at that.

"Teams of sentient Infested." Jasmina said as if that insanity were completely normal. "No one is _hurt_." She said quickly as both Artus and Iriana tensed to move. "Stragglers of feral infested have joined the attacks on Grineer, but we have not let any of them in here."

"There are _Infested_ on this planet?" Pat asked, stunned. "No one ever saw any."

"Infested are _everywhere_." Iriana, Artus and Jasmina said in unison and all three chuckled sourly at the ancient Tenno warning.

"Iriana." Jasmina said quietly. "We can help you. Will you come with us?" Iriana's eye went wide and Jasmina snorted. "I am not Karl or that lying creep Redi and his scummy patron. I _ask_ before I do things that people may not like."

"Jasmina… I…" Iriana bowed her head. "I am not fully… cognizant at the moment. Artus? What do you think?"

"What do you mean, cognizant?" Jasmina demanded as Artus stood thinking. "What did they do to you?" She asked Iriana.

"The colonists who survived the Grineer attacks took refuge in these caves, Jasmina." Iriana said quietly. "They had little tech and fewer medical tools. What they did have was a supply of poppy flowers." Jasmina stared at the Healer and then inhaled in horror. "Yes." Iriana said heavily. "I am addicted to morphine."

"Oh my god…" Jasmina said with a soft moan. "We have to get you out of here. To safety. Karl's people are pushing. The Grineer and my teams are holding them for now, but we are taking casualties."

"I am not leaving these people, Jasmina." Iriana said sharply. "They saved my life. Even with…" She raised the stump of her arm and Jasmina jerked.

"Not leaving _them_…?" Jasmina asked softly, but no one sane would call it calm. "Or not leaving the source of the _morphine_?"

"Both." Iriana said quietly. "Either. But that doesn't change the facts, Jasmina. These people were screwed. By Tenno. We owe them." Jasmina stared at the healer, then at Artus who nodded.

"I was on the other side of the system." Artus said quietly. "I heard the distress call, and came. Others were closer. They ignored the distress call." Jasmina inhaled sharply again and the Volt nodded. "The others let the Grineer take these settlements. 'No strategic value' I was told when I asked." His voice held barely disguised rage. "These people deserved better." Pat stared from one Tenno to the other, stunned. "Our _shame_, Medic Pat. Our _duty_ to do whatever we can to make amends. Others may disagree. I don't care."

"I don't." Jasmina said quietly. She released Pat's arm and the medic recoiled up against the wall. "I give apology. For scaring you and your people. I was… worried about my friend."

"She is a good person. She didn't deserve this." Pat said and Iriana suddenly felt her good eye burn.

"Neither did you." Iriana said into the silence that fell. "Jasmina, I can't leave them."

"How many?" Jasmina asked calmly.

"How many what?" Pat asked, still smarting.

"How many civilians?" Jasmina asked, obviously thinking as hard as Artus had been. "How many people are hiding here?"

"Eighty seven." Pat said in a monotone. Iriana's eye went huge.

"Eighty-…! There were two _thousand_ people in that settlement!" Iriana nearly screamed. "They…? They just… let them all be taken or _die_?" Artus bowed his head and Iriana snarled a vile oath. "Fine. Jasmina! Can you help?"

"We can." Jasmine said formally. Then she turned to Pat. "How quickly can you get them set up to move?" Pat stared at her, uncomprehending. "We don't have a lot of time before Karl and his people hit this place. They are good Tenno, but are after Iriana here. And if HQ wrote these people off, then _Karl's_ people likely won't _know_ about them and come in _blasting_." Iriana and Artus both winced and Jasmina nodded. "We can evac you to someplace safer."

"You are working with Infested." Pat snapped. "How can that be _safer_?"

"You might be surprised." Jasmina said with a grin that was visible even through her closed helmet. "So…?"

"I don't… speak for everyone…" Pat said, quailing. "What are you proposing?"

"That you all vanish into thin air."


	7. Chapter 7

**Gently**

Iriana was…bemused. Artus hadn't left her side at all, but Pat was scurrying around like a madwoman. Jasmina had…stepped back. Wise of her. But the Infested Chargers that blocked the exits were not moving.

"What is happening?" A child asked as she was bundled up. She was about five years old, had red hair and was scared out of her mind. "Where are we going?"

"I don't know, honey." The girl's father said with a gulp as he tried not to look at the Infested.

"You will all be shifted to uninhabited levels of a space station." Jasmina said calmly from where she stood by one wall. "There is ample air and ample food. We will find something for you to do or somewhere for you to go. But right now, we _have_ to get out of here."

"You are with _monsters_." The red headed girl said fiercely to Jasmina. Her dad quailed, but Jasmina nodded.

"I am." Jasmina agreed. "They haven't hurt anyone, have they?" Indeed, while some people had taken injuries from falls or trampling, none of the Infested has so much as _clawed_ someone. They hadn't had to, their general scariness had been more than sufficient to herd unarmed refugees into controllable areas.

"They are scary." The girl said with a small cry as one of the Chargers looked at her. Jasmina looked at the Infested and Iriana could swear the monstrous thing looked _chagrinned_. "So are you!" She said with a child's courage.

"Would it help you to know that_ I_ am scared?" Jasmina asked the girl. All eyes turned to her and she sighed. "I don't want to fight Tenno. Not now. Not _ever_."

"But… you _are_ one." The girl said with a wince.

"I am." Jasmina agreed. "Do you have a brother or sister?" She asked the child gently. The girl shook her head. "I _do_. They are coming and I don't want to fight them. So we need to run."

"Run where?" The girl begged. "They are too fast." She started to cry and her dad picked her up as Jasmina stepped forward.

"What if I told you that you can run faster even than the fastest Tenno who ever lived?" Jasmina said in a silly voice. The girl stared at her, her tears ending. "What would you say to that?"

"I am not supposed to say people are lying." The girl said weakly, but Jasmina just laughed softly.

"It is good to be polite, but… I am not lying." Jasmine said with a nod. "What is your name?" She asked gently. "Mine is Jasmina."

"Kari." The girl said as her dad tried to shush her.

"Kari." Jasmina said gently, but her words were to everyone. "You and your father have no reason to fear me. Tenno may have betrayed you, I do not know why. I will _not_. I gave Iriana here my word that I would see you safe. I do not break my word." More than one of the people in the large room looked at Iriana who nodded.

"Jasmina is one of those weird people for whom their word of honor is important." Iriana said as loudly as she could. Which wasn't very loud. She was lying on a padded bedroll that Artus had provided. She had been disconnected from the various machines that monitored her and her bladder was cramping.

"How you doing?" Jal asked as he knelt nearby.

"Peachy." Iriana said sourly. She hurt and the cravings were increasing. "Just… peachy." Jal patted her hand and then looked at Artus.

"Will you come with us?" He asked and several people turned to listen.

"I can't." Artus said sadly. "The only reason that I haven't been ordered to try and stop Jasmina here…" He nodded to Jasmina who nodded back. "…is that no one likely knows I am here." He shook his head. "Like Jasmina, I don't want to fight Tenno. But I also swore to protect _you_. If I go with you out of these tunnels, I can be tracked. Then, _you_ can be. I won't allow that." He knelt slowly into seiza beside Iriana. "Jasmina could have come in and killed many of you before you even knew she was here. I might or might not have been able to stop her. Her… friends could have killed you all. I _wouldn't_ have been able to stop them in time. They haven't. I don't know what is going on, but Jasmina you can trust."

"We won't hurt anyone if we can help it." Jasmina promised. "But we are almost out of time. Is this everybody, Medic Pat?"

"I still don't see what we are going to do." Pat said crossly as she appeared in Iriana's field of vision, a crying little boy in her hands. "How can we run with Tenno chasing us?"

"There are many ways of running." Jasmina replied. "Kari? Can you ask your father if you can help me?" The man held his daughter tight despite her squirming. "I will not harm her." Jasmine said formally.

"I don't trust Tenno!" The man retorted. One of the Chargers growled, but Jasmina looked at it and it… sank on it's haunches.

"I don't blame you." Jasmina replied. "The last time _I_ did, my mate died." A horrified gasp went around the room. The Charger that sat made a sad noise. Iriana stared and then her eye burned.

"Dust?" She asked sadly. Jasmina nodded and Iriana bowed her head. "I am sorry. He was…a good man."

"That he was. We never knew we loved one another until it was too late. He claimed me just before he died." Jasmina said sadly, but then nodded. "Either you trust me or you do not." She said to Kari's father. "I will not harm your daughter." She swore. The man stared at the Ember Prime and then slowly set Kari down. Kari took a slow, hesitant step towards Jasmina who waited patiently.

"What do I do?" The girl asked timidly.

Jasmina reached for her belt and produced a small box. She laid it in the floor and slid it towards Kari who jumped a bit as it stopped a few centimeters from her foot.

"I need you to do two things for me, Kari." Jasmina said gently. "First, touch Artus with that box. Then press the button on it."

"What will it do?" Kari asked, staring at the box. It was unremarkable, nothing on it except a button.

"Touching Artus with it will exclude him from the portal field." Kari looked at the Ember and Jasmina chuckled. "It will make sure he doesn't come along. I don't want to compromise my friend."

"You really are her friend?" Kari asked Artus who nodded. "And then... I hit the button and … what?"

"We run." Jasmina said with a soft chuckle. "Can you do that?" Kari stared at her, then nodded. "Good girl." She said approving.

"Sometimes." Kari said, looking at her dad. He nodded a bit dubiously, but did not object when she picked up the box. She walked to Artus and touched it to him. It glowed and she nearly dropped it. "What?"

"I should have warned you." Jasmina said quickly. "It's supposed to do that."

"But I have touched it…" Kari said, staring at the box.

"Did it _glow_?" Jasmina asked, using her 'silly girl' voice again. Many in the crowd chuckled at the girl's expression. Kari shook her head. "Then you are okay. Besides, you are not in a warframe and it was set to exclude him. He looks a _little_ different from you, true?"

"You are funny." Kari said with a grin.

"Sometimes. There is too much horror in this life, Kari." Jasmina's words carried to the crowd and everyone listened. "I much prefer to laugh than to cry or scream. Don't you?"

"Yes." Kari agreed. "Press the button?"

"If you are ready to run." Jasmina said gently. Kari smiled, looked at her dad again and then firmly pressed the button. A flash of gold surrounded the room, and then Artus was the only occupant. Even the piled belongings of the settlers had vanished, leaving only memories.

The Volt sat for a moment, and then stood slowly. He bowed his head and then, without a backwards look, left the cave. Just outside, a squad of Tenno stood, weapons aimed. One was the Ash he had encountered before. The others were Tenno he knew were from Karl's clan, the Rhino leading them.

"_Artus_?" Two demanded. "What are _you_ doing here?" She asked as she lowered her bow.

"Leaving." Artus said firmly and turned to go. The group barred his path and he paused. "Do we have a problem?"

"We lost the tracer signal." A Frost Prime said from nearby, his head swiveling. "I had a lock and it is _gone_. That is not _possible_." He looked at the Volt and his appraisal was clear. "What did you do?"

"'No strategic value.'" The Volt said calmly.

"What?" More than one of the assembled Tenno asked, all had weapons ready, but none were aiming at him.

"Artus?" Karl asked slowly. "Where is Iriana?"

"Is she missing?" The Volt asked calmly.

"Don't _play_ with me." Karl said, his voice low and dangerous. "Where is she? We tracked her to here."

"Ah, I see." The Volt said sadly. "Human settlements come and go, but a _Tenno Healer_… That _is_ worth Tenno involvement. Isn't it?"

"Artus…" Karl said, lowering his Hek. "I _screwed_ _up_." Those three word shook the Volt. "I was sworn to silence, but I _should_ have told Iriana where her kids and sister were. That is where we were going to take her, to her kids. She would have kept the secret. Where is she? She is hurt, we got that. We can help her. Where is she?"

"I don't know." Artus said with a shrug. "Jasmina didn't tell me where they were going." Everything stopped in the small clearing. "Now you kill me?" The Volt asked calmly.

"No. You are not rogue." Karl said softly. A hand motion and the Tenno split, leaving the Volt a path. "Just... if you see her or talk to her… Tell her… I need to talk to her… Tell her I am sorry. It seemed so simple." Artus nodded soberly.

"It always does, Karl." Artus said as he started off towards where his ship waited to pick him it. "It always does." Behind him he heard Tenno entering the caves, not that they would find anything but trash.

* * *

Iriana was aware of pain, of fear. She was moving through something, then… through something else. Then she was lying on a floor again. But then Kari squealed. Iriana's eye shot open, but the girl wasn't hurt or scared. Quite the _contrary_.

"Let's do that _again_!" The girl was bouncing up and down in excitement. "That was _fun!_" Other children in the group were also bouncing, and more than a few of the adults had smiles on their faces. A couple of others looked green, but no one was complaining.

"I am sorry, Kari." Jasmina said from nearby. But when Iriana looked… There were no Infested anywhere that she could see. "Only enough power for one jump." Jasmina laughed as the girl pouted. "Was fun though, wasn't it?"

"It was!" Kari said, her face red with excitement. "How _fast_ did we run?"

"Faster than light, Kari." Jasmina said with a chuckle. "We ran faster than light." She held out a hand and Kari gave her the box reluctantly.

"Wow." Kari said with a grin. "Can we do it _again_ sometime?" She begged.

"I don't know, Kari." Jasmina said with a sigh. "Maybe. Hopefully not anytime soon." She chuckled as the girl bounced again, still excited by the jaunt through space and time. "Okay, this area has been set up as quarters. I will need some strong backs who are not squeamish to carry Iriana and the other wounded to the area we have set up as a medical ward."

Iriana stared at Jasmina and then around. She was… This was a _Tenno_ _Dojo_! But… not like Karl's. It was dilapidated. The walls bore the marks of battle damage as well as time and no maintenance. But they seemed sound. The furnishings she could see were spartan to say the least…

"Where _are_ we?" Iriana asked softly. Jasmina nodded to her.

"We are in an abandoned dojo, Iriana." Jasmina said with a nod. "Abandoned since before the Collapse." Iriana inhaled sharply and Jasmina hurried to reassure her. "We have checked the systems. Life support is fully functional. This section is totally separate from the one where my friends are staying. Only a couple of easily secured access points. No contamination that way. There is not a lot of equipment, but what we have is functional." She paused and then nodded to Iriana. "We have a healer of our own who wants to meet you. To tend you. I think you will like her. I hope you do."

"What are you setting me up for, Jasmina?" Iriana said with a wince as Jal lifted her carefully. She kept her shaking hand in her lap. It took all of Iriana's control not to cry out.

"Sorry, Ma'am." Jal apologized. "Where to?"

"Follow me." Jasmina said with a nod. "I'll show you to Medical. Then you can guide the others." Iriana was woozy now. From everything. She saw corridors and a door marked 'Medical'. As they entered she felt Jal stop in mid stride. She whimpered as it hurt. "She won't hurt you, Jal." Jasmina said quietly. "Put Iriana there."

Iriana could barely keep her eye open as she was laid on something that yielded under her. A shadow fell over her and she stared up into horror. The Ancient Infested bent down and Iriana tried to scream, but she could not make noise.

_Easy._ The voice was gentle, but held command. And it was inside Iriana's head! _Oh dear…_ The voice turned sharp. _I am going to put you out, Ma'am. You need immediate healing._

_The… others… need… _Iriana managed to get out, then she was asleep.

* * *

"What happened?" Jal demanded as the huge green mass of sickly looking flesh retreated from where Iriana now lay quiet. The Ember Prime looked at the Infested and then she let out a slow breath.

"She is hurt worse than we knew." Jasmina said softly. "Far, far worse. We don't know the cause."

"Can you help her?" Jal demanded. "She hurt herself helping my daughter… Easing my daughter's passing." Jasmina spun to stare at him and he snarled. "If that gets her in trouble, blame _me_! She did me a service! Me and…" He choked a cry. "…and my Melina…"

"Healer? Neural shock!" Jasmina said, horrified. "What can I _do_?" There was no answer that Jal could hear, but the Ember relaxed. "Jal, is it?" He nodded and she continued. "We are going to place her in a pod that promotes rapid healing. It's um…" She seemed a bit embarrassed now. "It's rather disgusting, what Healer has to do." Jal's eyes went wide as the huge Infested slowly sank until it was over the still form on the table and then… _Where_ was that odd material coming from?

"Ew…" Jal shook himself and turned away. "I am going to need some brain bleach." He didn't turn back until the Infested had retreated. A large bubble now enclosed Iriana's still form and he could see it hardening and a long… mass slowly approaching her now open mouth. "_That_ will heal her?"

"It will." Jasmina promised him. "Very quickly. We have twenty four other beds set up, but not a lot of trained hands."

"We all got good at helping Pat." Jal said stoically. "She did marvels for a paramedic. She was… amazing. I… wasn't." He said with a wince.

"You lost your daughter." Jasmina said gently. "Anyone would be stressed. Can you guide the others here, help them set up? We have twelve double rooms off this hall."

"I can do that, Ma'am." Jal said firmly.

"Call me Jasmina." The Ember said with a snort. "When you say Ma'am, I keep wanting to turn around and see where the _lady_ is."

Jal was chuckling softly as he left the room to find a row of men carrying wounded towards him. He directed them to rooms he could see. Pat came by, still holding the boy she had been. But her face…

"Pat?" Jal asked softly. "What is wrong?"

"I thought I knew us all, Jal…" Pat said, her face scared and worried. "I really did."

"What do you mean?" Jal asked. Pat shook her head and stalked to where Jasmina was standing. She ignored the Infested and spoke to the Ember.

"I have a problem." Pat said softly. Jasmina looked at her.

"What kind of problem?" Jasmina asked, looking from Pat to the child. Instead of answering, Pat bared the child's arm. Jasmina…recoiled. "What? Oh no." She said, horrified. Jal stared and… then his guts went cold. The child's arm bore needle tracks. "He is not _hurt_, is he?"

"Yes, he is." Pat said softly. "I scanned him just after we arrived and he is. I… I _thought_ I kept a good count of the morphine syringes, but I was short a time or two. People took them…" Jal winced. He had stolen a syringe a time or two when Melina needed them.

"Why would someone drug an unhurt…?" Jal said and then froze. "No. No…" He pleaded. Pat's face was a study of horror as she turned to him.

"He has been abused." Pat said quietly. "Drugged. And then abused. At least twice." Her voice was breaking. "Whoever it was left him rolled up in sleeping bag in a dead end cavern… If I hadn't been searching… We would have left him _behind_!" Jal stared at the medic and then at the child. When he spoke, he barely recognized his own voice. All three of the others turned to look at him.

"Someone is going to _die_."


	8. Chapter 8

**Hard Questions**

Iriana woke from a dreamless sleep to comfort. She was… comfortable. Nothing hurt. _And_ the craving that had penetrated her entire being had… vanished. Or no, not vanished, receded almost completely.

_We cannot remove the addiction completely without causing more damage. The psychological part must heal on it's own._ A gentle voice spoke in her head. _We have ended the physical need._

_Thank you. _Iriana said gratefully in her mind. _Where am I?_

_Open your eyes._ The voice of what had to be an Infested said kindly. Iriana did as ordered and _both_ of them did. Incredulous feelings of joy resounded through Iriana, but the other was sad. _There was… a great deal of damage both to skin and bone on your skull__.__ There was only so much we could repair in the time we have had without replacements that Fire Heart felt you might reject__._Iriana was floating in a pod that she remembered from Michelle's recollections. But she felt… safe.

_Fire Heart? _Iriana asked curiously and then snorted. _Jasmina. Of course. Very apt._

_Yes. _The other said gently. _We give our good friends names that suit them. Nick names if you will._

_Better than some. _Iriana said with a feeling of gratitude. _Thank you. When can I be released? _She felt scrutiny, but could not tell from where.

_Another hour or so__._ The other said quietly. _You were very badly hurt._

_What happened? _Iriana asked, worried. _I have never had a link go that bad before._

_You were bleeding inside your brain when you did it. _The other said dryly. _Small wonder it hurt you. We caught it in time. We may be able to regrow your arm, but that will take longer._

_Did the link affect my arm? _Iriana asked. The other's scrutiny came back and she waited.

_It did._ The other said sadly. _We are not sure why. But it might have been because of the damage already sustained by the tissue rendered it more susceptible to neural shock__.__ Or there may be another cause we know nothing about._

_Lots of nerves in the arms and hands._ Iriana agreed. _The others?_

_Most are recovering. _The gentle voice reassured her. _Some will take more therapy or regeneration, but we predict most will have no problems. _There was something…off in the voice.

_**Most**__?_ Iriana asked slowly.

_We do not understand all of what has happened._ The voice said slowly. _We have healed the young one to the best of our ability. He has not woken and until he does, we cannot be sure…_ The voice trailed off.

_Young __one__?_ Iriana asked, concerned. _What young one?_ _None of the children were hurt worse than bruises and scrapes in the Grineer attack except Melina according to Pat. And Melina…_ She felt her eyes burn, but of course, no tears would fall in the fluid.

_This child was not wounded in the Grineer attack._ The voice said quietly. _He was hurt after._ Iriana tried to comprehend that and failed.

_By _who_?_ The Tenno healer asked, confused.

_By one of the humans._ The other replied. Iriana went stiff and the other sighed. _Please, there is nothing you can do until your treatment is done. I should not have told you. Fire Heart and the humans are investigating._

_I see. _Iriana said quietly. _I will obey your instructions… Um… What do I call you?_

_The others call me 'Healer'. _The Infested replied. _It is both a title and my name._

_I see._ Iriana said calmly. _Pleased to meet you. What is the status of the others?_

_All stable. _Healer replied. _None of the others required as urgent care as you did. All are responding to less extreme forms of regeneration. You should rest. How long since you relaxed?_

_This is… not what I would consider a vacation. _Iriana said, then sighed. _But it is relaxing._

_If you wish to sleep, you can. _Healer was so gentle, so kind. _No one will gainsay it. _

_Ah, I wish. But… _Iriana shook her head slightly in the fluid it was floating in. _No. I need to help. I need… to do what I do._

_I understand. _Healer replied evenly. _You are called to heal as I am._ _It is both our calling and our curse._

_Indeed it is. _Iriana replied. _So… What is my status?_

_The neural trauma has been eased. _Healer replied. _The bones that were broken have healed. Your eye has been healed. The flesh of your skull has been regenerated, but… some did not._ Iriana tensed and Healer was quick to reassure her. _You are in no danger._

_Why would the…? _Iriana paused and then groaned mentally._ Oh, the neural trauma again…_

_Probably. _Healer agreed. _Your right arm has healed._

_What is left of it._ Iriana looked down at the stump and sighed. _Is there anything you can do? I remember… Michelle…_

_We could, but it is irreversible with our current level of ability__._ Healer said flatly. _Not an option. We can regrow your arm, but it will take some time since we do not want to infect you._

_And if I ask you to? _Iriana asked and Healer withdrew a bit._ I am… sick of running._

_You are hurt. You are sick._ Healer said sternly. _Rest. No one will harm you here. No one will __**dare**__.__ We will speak of this again, but… Infecting you is __**not**__ an option._ The words were final.

_I meant no insult._ Iriana said weakly. _I… just…_

_I know._ Healer said, her tone moderating. _Rest. _The word resonated through Iriana's being and she found herself nodding off. It…felt… so… good.

* * *

"I cannot _believe_ she asked that!" Jasmina said with a snarl as she worked with Elenia. "Whatever Karl's people did to her… I can't believe _Iriana_ of all people would beg _Healer_ to be _infected_!"

"She is hurt sorely." The Mag replied as the two checked yet another still and dark room, their lights sweeping this way and that across deactivated machinery. "Physically and mentally."

_She is a good person._ Dust's voice came to both of them. _Kind and considerate. That makes the violation that Karl did to her worse. _The rage in his voice nearly covered up his worry. Nearly. _She lives to heal and she was denied that._ _Indeed, she was lied to and her patient nearly died as a result._

"It makes me so mad." Jasmina said when she was sure he was finished. "She is everything I am not. A healer, not a warrior. We _expect_ betrayals at every turn. We _expect_ backstabs. She did not. She had no _reason_ to. Her trust was violated and now… she will not trust again. That, I think is what makes me the maddest. She was _used_."

"We could find a place for her." Elenia said quietly. Jasmina paused and looked at her and Elenia shrugged. "I am not saying it would be _right_, or even that the mind mass would _accept_ her, but we _could_."

_It wouldn't be right._ Dust said flatly. _She is not thinking clearly. She is grieving for her lost innocence. She is still hurt, and still addicted to the painkiller despite what Healer has done__._

"I know." Elenia agreed. "I am just… what the-?" She froze in place as piece of the machinery suddenly rose from where it had been sitting. Her Synapse came up, but Jasmina stepped forward, empty hand up. "Jasmina?"

"It's okay." Jasmina said, her tone bemused. "It's not hostile." Indeed, the oddly shaped thing swept to Jasmina's hand and flew around it, seeming to bounce in midair. "Good to see you, my little friend."

Elenia frankly stared. She hadn't seen a Djinn sentinel in some time. But there was nothing else in existence quite like it.

"Was it… yours?" The Mag finally asked.

"I made it, a long time ago." Jasmina said with a shrug. "So I guess so. But…" She paused and her tone was…odd. "I don't need a sentinel right now." The small machine seemed to wilt in midair. She patted it and it almost purred. "But I know someone who _could_ use a dedicated guard."

* * *

Iriana woke up fast. The screaming coming from nearby had her up and moving before her brain caught up with the fact that 1) She was out of the pod and 2) she was wearing something that she didn't recognize. The analytical part of her brain realized it was the same kind of garment that Brownie had been wearing, but the rest of her brain was reaching for the crying child in the bed next to hers before she could even think. She pulled him close, holding him as he cried, soothing his cries and tears with soft words.

"Easy, little man." Iriana said in a sing song voice. "Easy… It's okay. It's okay." But instead of soothing him, he went stiff. "What?" Iriana paused. Something was very wrong. The boy also wore a garment like hers, but… "What happened to you, little one?" She asked. He would not meet her eyes.

"He was abused." Pat's voice came from nearby and Iriana spun in place to see the medic enter the room, her face set. "By one of us." Iriana's eyes went wide and Pat sighed. "It is good to see you, Iri… Iriana… I am sorry…"

"You did what you could, Pat." Iriana said quietly. "Now that I am thinking clearly again, I don't blame you. Stop blaming yourself." She said with command. Pat stiffened and then smiled a bit forlornly. "What happened to this one?" Iriana asked as she rubbed the boy's short hair with her hand. She noted an odd… thing on her right arm. It capped where her elbow would be but didn't feel odd, so she filed that for 'later'.

"I don't know." Pat admitted. "His name is Curtis. He… He was one of the refugees who made it to the caves. His family…wasn't so lucky." Iriana went still and the boy whimpered bit. She soothed him. Pat nodded. "I found him in a small, dead end cavern off the main tracks. He was bound up in a sleeping bag. He had been there for some time."

"_Bound_? Is that as bad as it sounds?" Iriana asked, hugging the boy tight. He stiffened again, but relaxed.

"Someone stole some morphine and used it on him." Pat said, her tone hard. "And then… they…" She trailed off as Iriana gasped. "Yeah."

"Male or female?" Iriana asked, her voice going hard. "He is acting like I am going to hurt him."

"We don't know." Pat said sadly. "The physical traces are… inconclusive. We were waiting for him to wake." Iriana nodded and then sat down on the floor, holding the boy carefully.

"Curtis…?" Iriana said gently. "My name is Iriana. I am a healer. Can I talk to you?" The boy clung to her, but did not respond. "It's okay to be scared…" She said calmly, gently. "It's okay to be angry. Someone took you. We want to catch them, keep them from doing what they did to _you_ to anyone else. Did you see who did it?" The boy shook his head. "Did you hear the person?" He nodded. "Was it a man?" He shook his head and Iriana's guts clenched. "A woman. She touched you. We know that. Did it hurt?" He shook his head. "But it made you feel bad. Wrong." He nodded again. "Oh Curtis." Iriana held him, her tears starting to fall.

"I will start checking the women." Pat said with a scowl. "There are twenty three women in the group." She looked as if she wanted to say more, but shook her head and left the room. Iriana did not move, just held the shuddering boy in her arm as he cried.

"I wish Brianna or Amelia where here." She said after a moment. "They would know what to say. What to do. I have dealt with horrors, but… never anything like this." She held Curtis loosely in her arms as he sobbed. "Go ahead and cry, Curtis. It's okay. It's not bad."

"Was." Iriana went still at the soft word.

"What?" Iriana asked, not moving. "Curtis? What do you mean? What '_was'_?"

"Was bad. Didn't want me to cry." Curtis sobbed into Iriana's shoulder. "Tied me up… Stuck me with a needle. It made me sick… but…"

"Oh Curtis." Iriana said, hugging him. "It's okay. It's over." She promised him.

"I…" Curtis wilted. "I need it. I need it bad…" Iriana went still and then turned as Jasmina entered the medical bay. Curtis gave a cry, and Iriana held him tighter.

"_Why_?" Iriana asked, her tone combining rage and heartbreak. "Why haven't you helped him?"

"We can't do for him what we did for you, Iriana." Jasmina said quietly. "It would kill him." Iriana was shaking her head, but Jasmina continued. "He is not fully _grown_, Iriana." Jasmina said calmly. Her calm nearly hid the rage that matched Iriana's. "If we try to detox him the way we did you… It _will_ kill him."

"Then we do it the hard way." Iriana said with a nod. "Curtis?" Her voice gentled. "We cannot give you what you think you need. It's a poison and it will hurt you."

"I need it." The boy begged. "I need it so bad."

"I know." Iriana said sadly. "I am here and I will help. Okay?" Curtis stared up at her, his eyes wild with pain and fear but then… he relaxed. "Good boy." Iriana said gently. "I won't leave you."

"Promise?" Curtis begged.

"I promise." Iriana said softly. "Jasmina? Do you have anything that can work as a palliative?" Something to curb the boy's withdrawal without causing further harm.

"We are working on that." Jasmina said with a nod. "It may be a while. It's not something we have ever had to do before." Curtis gave a soft cry and Jasmina knelt down near the door. "Curtis?" He looked at the Tenno but his eyes were unfocused. "We are going to help you. It won't be fun. But we will help you if we can." The Tenno warrior promised.

"It hurts." Curtis said with a soft cry as he burrowed into Iriana's chest. "It hurts so bad."

"I know." Iriana said sadly. "Oh Curtis, I know. Shh…" She soothed him with gentle words and he slowly calmed and then, fell asleep. She looked up at Jasmina, and rage was singing in her eyes. "_Find_ _her_."

"We have." Jasmine said quietly. Iriana froze and the Tenno warrior nodded. "One of the refugees, a woman, was found dead in her bunk twenty minutes ago. Massive morphine overdose. DNA matches traces found on the bag Curtis was in." Iriana stared at the warrior and then slumped. "Probably for the best, Iriana." Jasmina said softly. "You are not a killer."

"No?" Iriana said, still slumped as she held the sleeping boy. "I killed Brownie."

"About that…" Jasmina said, and a strange bubble of amusement was in her voice. Iriana looked at her and the Tenno waved at the door. Iriana froze as the door opened and a young human woman walked in. Iriana stared and then her face lit up. The girl raised a finger to her lips, pointing at the boy.

"_Brownie?_" Iriana asked quietly. "Is that you?"

"My name is Lisa, Healer Iriana." The girl she had seen first in an isolation cell, a mass of feral instinct, said with a smile. "I wanted to thank you for your care. Your comfort. Your understanding. You helped me. Your compassion helped me survive what happened after…" She smiled a she sat down nearby, a blanket in hand that she draped over Curtis. "The least I can do is help you." The boy murmured in his sleep and Lisa's face took on a sad cast. "And him."

"Withdrawal will be no fun at all." Iriana said with a wince. "If needed, we can give him low doses, but he won't understand what is happening. And if we give him too much, not knowing how much was given to him before…" She trailed off and the others nodded. It would likely kill him.

"I know." Brownie –no _Lisa_!- said with a frown. "Healer is working on something that it thinks might work. But… even if it does… Iriana…"

"I know." Iriana said, bowing her head. "That much morphine… in such a small body… We will do our best." Opiates were very dangerous. For such a small human, the tolerated dose was less. Not that the woman who had kidnapped and abused him had cared. "And if it does come to it? I will do it."

"Iriana…" Jasmina protested softly, her voice pained.

"You have your calling, warrior." Iriana said firmly. "I have mine. This _is_ mine." Jasmina looked at the Healer and then bowed formally.

"I understand." Jasmina said with a nod as she rose from her bow. "But there is one thing I am going to insist on now." Iriana looked at her and Jasmina seemed to straighten. "You are _not_ going to be left alone again, Healer. You are too precious a resource, for the Tenno as a _whole_, to be left for hostile forces to abuse _ever_ again."

"Jasmina…" Iriana protested softly, wary of waking the boy in her arm.

"This is _not_ an argument, Healer." Jasmine said firmly. "You are _vulnerable_. I will not be responsible for you being injured again. You will be escorted at all times from now on."

"Jasmina…" Iriana protested bit louder, but went still as Curtis protested. She soothed him back to sleep and glared at Jasmina. "I will _not_ have a warrior following me around everywhere."

"No, you won't." Jasmina agreed. Iriana's eyes narrowed at that and Jasmina chuckled. "Got it covered, healer." The Ember made motion and the door opened again. A large orange blur floated in quickly to hover beside Jasmina. "Iriana, meet Twee-Kee, your minder."

"A…" Iriana swallowed hard as the Sentinel floated to hover near her. "Jasmina, you _can't_ be _serious_!"

-This one is pleased to meet you, Healer.- The robotic voice of the Djinn sentinel sounded quietly. –This one will defend you.-

"Jasmina!" Iriana protested louder and Curtis woke, but instead of crying out, he stared up at the sentinel and his eyes were wide with fascination. "Ah… Just me, ah… Twee-kee?" She asked dubiously.

-This one is detailed to guard your person, Healer Iriana.- The Sentinel replied and hovered a bit away as the boy reached up for the oddly shaped fleshy looking machine. The boy stared after it and then smiled. When Iriana stared at where Jasmine had been, the Ember Prime was gone!

"Well…" Iriana said softly as she stared form Curtis to the Sentinel. "Isn't this going to be _fun_?"

"It will be… interesting." Lisa said with a smile. Iriana swatted at her and she smiled wider. "Tell me I lie."

"_Why_ did I save you?" Iriana asked, but she was smiling too.


	9. Chapter 9

**Crisis**

At nearly the same time

"Karl…" Kori was crying. "I don't know what to do! He won't talk to us!" Alicia was working on Kori's arm and Karen stood by, silent. None wore warframes and blood had fallen from Kori to puddle on the floor despite the towel that Alicia had wrapped around her hurt sister's arm. Karl nodded and left Medical.

"He will talk to _me_." The Clan Leader said stoically as he strode down the hall of the dojo towards the training room. He wore robes instead of a warframe and he felt… wrong. But it wasn't his lack of armor or armaments.

Karl had expected something like this. This…situation was out of control. Everything was spiraling out of control. First the mess with Dust and Jasmina, both of whom his clan had liked. Dust dying the way he had, then Jasmina… telling the Empress off and vanishing. Karl had wanted to do the same. He had so wanted to. When she had ordered him to _help_ the scum Redi, he had balked for some time. The arguments for using the machine… had seemed cogent, but… there had been holes in the plans. So many holes. Far more than either Karl or the Empress had known. Neither of them had known the extent of Redi's madness. That the machine would kill anyone touched by Technocyte? Including Tenno? He hadn't even suspected and he _should_ have.

Then… He hadn't known what Eliza had planned. Until he had gotten back, he hadn't known that Janas had 'removed' Lisa from care. Again, he _should_ have suspected. He had wanted to make it right. He couldn't believe that Jasmina had sided with Infested of all things, but… she had. And what was worse? She was in the right. He barely remembered the Caretakers of the Unclean. Most Tenno had derided them at least to themselves, even when acknowledging that the Caretakers did a very useful service in keeping the Infested contained. But then… The Infested had spread like the plague they were. Most had assumed that the Sentients were responsible for the sudden influx of horrors into the warzones and elsewhere. If what Jasmina had said was true however… He _could_ see an Orokin Emperor doing that. Worse, he could see _Eliza_ doing that if she felt she had no other choice. He wondered suddenly… The Emperor… Cut down. By who? The Tenno who he had been supposedly 'honoring'? Or his own guards if he had proven 'unworthy' of his crown?

Karl shook himself. Later. Answers would come in time. He likely wouldn't like them, he rarely did. But this took precedence. Will was… having problems. Karl opened the door of the training room and paused as something whirred by the door.

The Glaive spun and bounced off a wall, then returned to the hand of the Excalibur Prime who had obviously thrown it. The Excalibur looked at Karl, then turned, the glaive humming as it flew to bisect a target, bounce off another and then return to the Excalibur.

"Will." Karl said as he stepped in, mindful of the whirring blades. "That why you tossed everybody out?"

Kori, Karen and Alicia had been training when Will had stormed in and ordered them all out. When they had questioned him, he had ignored them and started throwing the Glaive. Kori had actually been hit by the weapon, not seriously, but enough that on any normal day, training would have been halted while her injuries were tended. This was not an ordinary day. Will did not respond to Karl's question.

"Will, talk to me." Karl said sharply as the Glaive flew again, slamming through a target to bounce and hit another before returning to Will. "What are you trying to do? Do what Dust did?" At that name, Will paused in his throwing.

"Jasmina did it too." Will said, his voice odd and scratchy, as if he had been crying. Or screaming. "She made it dance. She made it appear from nowhere and she made it dance."

"Yeah, she did." Karl said softly.

"I didn't know what to believe when I saw Dust do it." Will said in a throaty rasp. "Some kind of spin, aerodynamics, angles of attack… _something_… But then what Aeron said. Then what Jasmina _did_…" He was crying. "I… Karl, what have we _done_?" He begged the clan leader.

"We got Dust killed." Karl said softly. "No…" He corrected himself harshly. "_I_ got Dust killed. Then I drove Jasmina away." Will turned to look at the robed Clan Leader. "I was trying to get Dust to talk, get him to stop so we could figure the mess out. I _knew_ Redi was lying. I… had no idea how badly. Then the girl and Iriana leaving as she did." He admitted. "The Elders are going to demand an explanation. I will give them one."

"Karl…" Will said slowly. "You gave Eliza your word."

"I did." Karl agreed.

"And if they _order_ you to tell them who gave you the orders to help Redi?" Will asked, concerned. Conflicting orders could be… bad for someone like Karl. "If they demand to know how Redi got out of lockup? They will. They are not stupid no matter how they have acted on occasion."

"You know what will happen." Karl said quietly. Will stared at him and then nodded jerkily. "Trying to get it to dance?" Karl nodded to the Glaive that hung forgotten in Will's hand.

"Yeah." Will said softly. "It… flies, but it doesn't dance." His voice was small now. "I don't know, Karl. I just got shown how much I don't know… I thought I was… good. Not even close to perfect, but good."

"You _are_ good, Will." Karl said firmly. "Dust was better."

"Yeah." Will slumped a bit. "Yeah, he was. I am going to miss that irreverent son of a gun."

"Me too." Karl said sadly. "You hit Kori." Will jerked and Karl sighed. "You never saw her, did you?"

"I… I _what_?" Will asked, stunned. "I… How bad?"

"Grazed her arm." Karl said with a sigh. He took a deep breath and straightened himself. "Okay, this ends _now_. Summon the clan." He said firmly as he turned to go.

"Karl…" Will said, worried. "What are you going to do?"

"Get everyone together in the secure room." Karl said as he left the room. "Now."

* * *

**A few minutes later**

The entirety of Karl's clan was assembled in the secure room in the middle of the dojo when Karl arrived. Will and Alicia, Two and Amelia, Kori and Briana, Miguel, Cecelia and Ric, Mori and Olim and Janas Cora stood with Jimmy. Karl entered the room, still in robes, entered and shut the door.

"I screwed up." Karl said quietly before anyone else could. Everyone went still. "Eliza gave me orders I had a problem with, and I did not question them enough." Janas went still, Mori did not.

"Karl…" The Saryn said gently. "It wasn't your fault."

"No?" Karl asked the room. "I knew Dust was unpredictable. I knew he was dangerous, easily a match for any of us. I didn't know what he could do, but… I knew enough to know he wasn't irrational despite everything. I didn't have a clue at how the Infested would react. Or why. I didn't know that Elenia was a Caretaker. I never asked."

"We didn't really have a lot of time, Karl." Two said quietly.

"That doesn't matter, Two." Karl said firmly. "You made your reservations clear when we were ordered not to hinder Redi. I don't think any of us expected him to ambush Elenia like that. To… hijack her will like that." Heads shook all around. "I _should_ have shot him." The large Tenno said quietly, regret singing. "Orders or no orders, I should have shot him."

"Hindsight is always clearer than foresight, Karl." Mori said softly. "You know this."

"I do." Karl agreed. "Which is the only reason I haven't gone to the Elders and demanded punishment yet." Cries of shock and alarm went up around the room. Karl just stood, waiting.

"Karl!" Two snapped. "That is… extreme." She said, trying for calm and mostly succeeding. Amelia held her arm and Two subsided a little more.

"Dust is _dead_, and Jasmina has become a Caretaker for the Infested. She is lost to us." Karl said calmly. "Both are _my_ responsibility. That is why I am stepping down as Clan Leader at this time." Another storm of denials swept the room. "Will can work as interim leader until and unless they find someone qualified that you can work with."

"_Karl_!" Will protested. "I am no leader!"

"Neither was I, Will." Karl said sadly. "You will learn the same way I did. By experience."

"Karl…" Mori sounded flabbergasted. "No…"

"Mori, what is the First Law?" Karl asked softly. "The absolute first law as was put forth by the First Tenno?"

"'Follow your heart'." Mori quoted in a monotone. "'Follow your instincts. They will not lead you wrong.'"

"No. And I _didn't._" Karl said sadly. "I need to… seclude myself for a time. The Elders will want answers, an explanation. I will…give them one."

"And when they want the name of the person you took orders from?" Janas asked, his tone oddly formal. "What happens then?"

"What do you _think_ will happen?" Karl asked snidely, a heavy weight seeming to hit his shoulders. He slumped. "I cannot answer their questions or be foresworn. I cannot _disregard_ their questions or be foresworn. That leaves me one recourse." Ritual suicide. More than one Tenno in the room inhaled sharply. Cora suddenly spoke.

"This isn't right!" The former Grineer said urgently. "This isn't _right!_"

"Cora." Karl stepped to the forlorn looking Grineer and laid a huge hand on her shoulder. "_I_ messed up. It is_ my_ responsibility."

"We all followed you." Two said, biting back tears. "We agreed… Not with all of it. But stopping the Infested. We _agreed_. We didn't _know_ what he was going to do!"

"Two…" Karl said with a shake of his head. "It doesn't matter. I took orders. I gave orders. It was my responsibility. My duty to see the orders and say 'This is wrong'. I _didn't_." He shook his head. He shook himself. "For now… I just need to say this. It has been an honor knowing all of you. Serving with you. Whatever comes, meet it with honor, my friends." Then he strode to the door, unlocked it and left before anyone could find their tongues.

* * *

Once more, Karl was leaving the dojo. He wore his Rhino warframe and had his favorite weapons as well as what he had left in his ship. Most of his arsenal now graced the clan armory. This time, he wasn't sneaking out with his brother's renegades hot on his heels. But he felt a similar rush of shame. This wasn't something he could fight with blade or gun. This… shame of knowing how badly he had screwed up. He just hoped that he could do some good. Save the clan some of the pain he saw coming. He made his way to the airlocks that led to the small spacecraft that Tenno used to conduct operations and paused. The clan, _his_ clan, were lining the walls for the corridor to the airlock. All of them. Will stood closest.

Karl started for the ships, but paused as Will held up a hand.

"You think you are totally responsible, Karl." Will said softly. "You are not. We all are."

"The Elders won't punish the clan if they have a scapegoat." Karl said just as quietly. "This is my job, to protect the clan. I screwed up, Will. Now I pay for it."

"Not alone." Will said simply. "Where you go, we go."

"Will…" Karl said, feeling his throat tighten. He loved these crazy people. But… "I was in command. I gave the orders."

"And we acknowledged them." Aeron said in a monotone. "We were all wrong, Karl. Not just you."

"I can't bring Dust back." Karl said with a snap. "Or Jasmina. Or Iriana. All I can do is offer apology."

"Karl…" Two said, her tone one step removed from tears. "Please, don't go." She begged him. "This is _your_ home as much as ours. You helped _build_ it! And _us_." She pleaded, and a murmur of support went down the corridor.

"And I failed you." Karl said softly. "I need… some time, Two. I will face the Elders when they call. I hope I am ready when they do, but... I need to think." He started forward, his steps heavy.

"We will be here when you return." Alicia said with a calm he knew she didn't feel. He patted her on the shoulder and moved on.

As he walked, others murmured words of support, words of encouragement. He replied in kind, but then, he was at his ship. HE turned to enter the alcove and they were all _saluting_ him!

"Good journey, Tenno." Karl said as he stepped back into his ship, letting the hold tights grasp his warframe. Only when he was finally inside his ship, alone in it, did he open his faceplate and cry.

* * *

The ship docked to the asteroid with a clank. To all intents and purposes, the asteroid was bare rock. Unless you knew where the tiny airlock was, you could search for days, weeks, and never see it even with the best sensors. Privacy at its best.

"Nikis." Karl said softly into the short range com. "I need to talk to you."

"They said you would be coming." The voice of an old…acquaintance said calmly. "I will be waiting."

Karl took a deep breath to steady his nerves and stepped into the alcove. It hadn't been a long trip. Not nearly long enough. Nikis was…a hard one to deal with at the best of times, which these were not. The ancient Tenno was as close to a shaman as Tenno could get. Part medicine man, part wise scholar, part pain in the _ass_. He was wise and very good at seeing what others did not… But… Every time Karl came here, he wound up hurt in some way. He usually deserved it. He had known Nikis since his earliest misadventures with Serene. Part of his punishment had been to help the cantankerous old Tenno. Time had not mellowed the old fart. If anything, it had honed the creep's snarkiness. He wasn't sure if Nikis had gone into cryo or not, but he bet not. Karl was pretty sure Death would have taken one look at the shaman and said '_Hell no_! I don't _want_ him!'

As the airlock of his ship released him, Karl stiffened. Why was another Tenno ship docked here? This was… odd. Never in Karl's experience had there been another Tenno present when he had spoken to Nikis. The old fool apparently knew somehow when Karl was going to arrive. Occasionally, he had mentioned other visitors, but Karl had never seen any. This was… different. Karl was on edge as he stripped off his weapons, laying them beside a Vulkar, Ether Sword and Lato that another Tenno had left. He felt naked without his Hek, Orthos Prime and Kunai, but Nikis wouldn't let him in armed. Karl shook his head and strode to the door. He pounded on it.

"Let me in, you old fart!" The Rhino called.

"Old _fart_, is it?" Nikis' voice came from a speaker nearby. "Is that the _best_ you can do? I thought you had learned something in your travels?"

"I don't want to scorch the ears of your guest." Karl said reasonably. "And… it's been a bad month." He said softly. He was shocked by what happened next.

"So I have heard." Nikis' voice sounded… sad? "Come on in, boy. You are just in time for tea."

Tea? Karl shook his head as the door opened. Nikis had a tea set that was older than he was. Karl didn't have any idea how old the clay pot and cups were. He did know that they were ancient. Hand-made and irreplaceable. But Nikis never used them. He had a series of other tea sets, some precious, some not. So when Karl entered and found a robe hanging, he was not surprised. He put on the robe over his warframe. It fit as if it had been made for him. It had been. He stepped to the inner door and paused. He opened his visor and knocked politely and carefully. The last time he had cracked the wood, well… Nikis hadn't been happy. Old, the other Tenno might be. Harmless, he was _not_. To this _day_, Karl would bet on Nikis against _anyone_ in a fight.

"I see your long sojourn has taught you _some_ manners." Nikis' voice was sharp and Karl was smiling a bit sadly as he entered the room. Another Tenno with a robe over his warframe was sitting in sieza near one wall as Nikis… readied his ancient clay tea set! The ancient Shaman snorted at Karl's look. "What?"

"Nothing." Karl said softly, kneeling carefully at the spot Nikis waved him to. "I just… I didn't think you used that set."

"I don't use it regularly." Nikis said with a snort. "Bunch of crud brained, ham handed fools would trip over it or worse, use it for throwing practice."

His own warframe, a Nekros, was covered in a robe very similar to Karl's but ornately decorated with arcane symbols. Once Karl had worked up the guts to ask about them and been told they were the souls of fools. Karl… hadn't pressed. But…he was setting _four_ places!

"Are we expecting someone else?" Karl asked as Nikis set a cup in front of him.

"No." The ancient Nekros said calmly. "Artus is here. You are here and now Hayden is here."

"_Hayden?_" Both Karl and Artus exclaimed as a golden form appeared across from Karl, sitting in seiza. He nodded to both stunned Tenno.

"Is it a _gift_, Karl?" Hayden Tenno asked sourly. "Or do you just _have_ to find the _worst_ _possible_ situations to step in every _single_ time?"

"It's a gift." Karl said weakly as Nikis poured the tea.

"I could have told you _that_, First One." Nikis said sarcastically. "Karl always manages to find ways to land on his _face_."

"Well, this time…" Hayden said sadly. "It's not just him…"


	10. Chapter 10

**Learning**

Iriana slumped in the chair she had been given and tried not to cry. It wouldn't help. All it would do was disturb the troubled sleep of the boy in her lap. She had given up on fixing herself. Her body flatly refused to accept any replacement tissue for the abraded parts of her scalp and her arm... Healer was trying to regrow it, but that would take time. The Sentinel hovered nearby, but Iriana ignored it. She had gotten good at that. It had drawn a lot of stares for a bit, but then, people seemed to get used to it. Most were far more concerned with Curtis. As well they should be.

The boy wasn't getting any better. The Infested Healer's promised palliative had arrived and had curbed his cravings, but… He wasn't getting any stronger. In her heart, Iriana knew what was happening. His body hadn't been capable of handling the massive dose of morphine that his abductor had given him. He wasn't fully grown. His body didn't have the mass to throw off such a massive dose of powerful narcotics. Iriana wondered at times if that had been planned. Kill off the victim to cover up the horrific deed? She wasn't sure. It was…

Curtis coughed in his sleep and Iriana tensed. She knew what was coming, but it… it wasn't easy. It never was. To see Death coming for her patients had always been her worst fear. To see it coming for such an innocent… Curtis was such a good kid. He deserved better. If only his body has been able to metabolize an adult dose of…

Iriana jerked in her seat. Curtis protested sleepily, then subsided as she comforted him. The healer waited until she was sure he was asleep again before reaching for a terminal. Not a lot of the dojo equipment was functional. From what she had seen, a massive battle had been fought here. When? She had no idea, but it hadn't been recent. But enough of the medical tech was operational to check her hypothesis. The boy did not have the mass to throw off the narcotic and it was slowly poisoning his system despite the best efforts of the all medical personnel. Healer had explained the process by which Iriana's own withdrawal had been reduced and the Tenno Healer knew that the boy could not survive the same treatment. But… What if he didn't have to?

"Healer Iriana." Lisa's voice preceded the young woman into the room. "Healer is worried about you."

"It must get a bit confusing." Iriana said, not looking up as she held the slumbering boy with the stump of her right arm and typed with the other hand. "Healer and Healer…" She chuckled at Lisa's expression, but the girl was not so easily distracted.

"Please." Lisa said softly. "Let me take him for a bit?" She begged.

"He is my responsibility, Lisa." Iriana said mildly. "But thank you."

"Healer Iriana." Lisa said firmly. "The mind mass is aware of your research. They will not let you do it." Iriana stiffened and Lisa sighed. "Taking the boy's mind… elsewhere _might_ work while his body was… repaired or rejuvenated." The girl said a bit dubiously. "But into _your_ mind? No. _You_ need recovery time yourself."

"Lisa." Iriana said, her tone flat. "He is my responsibility."

"Did _you_ abuse him?" Lisa asked sternly but quietly. Iriana stared at her and then shook her head. "Then no, he is not. He is your patient and his _treatment_ is your responsibility. His condition is _not_." Iriana paused in her immediate comeback and then she slumped.

"When did you get so wise?" The healer asked a bit sheepishly. "I keep seeing you as…" She slumped a bit more. "I am sorry."

"No apology is needed. You saw me first as a feral child." Lisa said, kneeling beside Iriana. "Someone to be protected if I could not be helped. What the monster did… undid most of what he did to me before. No one knows why. What happened to me wasn't your fault." Iriana stared at the girl and then she felt her eyes burn.

"I should have…" Iriana stammered. "I… I knew something was wrong. I should have…"

"Let me take him for a bit, Healer." Lisa said gently, reaching for Curtis. "You need rest."

She took the slumbering boy from Iriana who did not resist. Lisa might have looked like a stiff breeze would pick her up and blow her away, but Iriana knew just how strong the girl actually was. Curtis made a soft, questioning noise, but Lisa rocked him a bit and he subsided again. She started singing something too softly for Iriana to make out the words, but it was obviously a lullaby. She smiled at Iriana's expression, then pointedly glanced at a bed that had been made for the healer nearby.

"Pushy, pushy, pushy…" Iriana said with a sigh as she rose, careful of her balance with only one arm. She walked to the bed and lay down. Her eyes closed as soon as her head hit the pillow and…

* * *

Iriana jerked. She wasn't in her bed anymore! She was lying on something soft but… not a mattress. She opened her eyes and went completely still.

"Hello." The male human said quietly from where he sat. "Healer Iriana, you are in no danger here." The man said sharply as Iriana gave a wild cry and scampered away from him.

She scuttled backwards until her back encountered something hard. She stared around wildly. She was sitting on grass. She looked up into the branches of a single tree. She had collided with the trunk. And… She stared. Her right arm hung loose at her side, and when she tried to move it, it came to her face to gingerly touch the parts that had been abraded. She felt living flesh under her… fingertips and she was crying as she stared at the odd human nearby. He wore something like a warframe with no helmet. It…wasn't quite an Excalibur frame, but… close.

"What have you _done_?" The healer demanded. "_Where_ are we?"

"This is a virtual world." The human said calmly, not moving from his spot. "We pulled you in when your rhythms slowed enough. We needed to talk to you. You are safe here. No one will harm you. No one will dare."

"I have patients that need me!" Iriana said with all the gentleness of a mama grizzly bear whose cubs were threatened. "Send me _back_!"

"Healer Iriana…" The man said gently. "You are _asleep_. You need _rest_ to recover from your ordeals. No matter _what_ the mind mass does, they _cannot_ undo such harm as you have taken _instantly_. They can do marvels the same as _you_ can with the proper gear, but _not_ without the passage of time." Iriana's eyes narrowed at that and he nodded. "We… keep tabs on our kin when we can. You in particular recently."

"Why?" Iriana snapped, examining her surroundings. Looking for a trap, an ambush. But nothing happened.

"Your actions catalyzed something, Healer." The man replied calmly. "There were murmurs of action and reaction from what Jasmina did. But it was muted, unclear. Now? After your pain and suffering…" He bowed his head to the healer. "We know what must be done."

"What?" Iriana demanded. "And you never did tell me who you are!"

"You won't believe me." The man said calmly. "And I don't blame you after what you endured. After what was done to you."

"_Done_ to me?" Iriana repeated. "Which part?"

"All of it." The man replied. "But before I go any further… Some people want to talk to you." He snapped his fingers and three forms appeared nearby. Iriana stared in disbelief as Mishka exclaimed and ran towards her.

"Mom!" The girl exclaimed in joy and threw herself at Iriana, who caught her daughter. "Mommommommommommom!" The little dervish was hugging her tight. Serene and Sara were bare moments behind Iriana's biological child in hugging the now sobbing healer. All three were hugging her and crying as they held her. After a timeless moment, Iriana looked at the odd human over her daughter's head.

"If this is a virtual world…" Iriana started. "How do I know this is real?" Mishka hugged her tighter, Sara and Serene as well.

"Come _on_, healer…" The man chided her gently. "How would _any_ AI ever _written_ be able to mimic a _child's_ love so clearly? Or more than _one_ at once?" He asked and Iriana shook her head. True that. She hugged Serene and the two kids harder. "We… bent a few rules."

"Into _pretzels_." Sara laughed wetly as she hugged Iriana tight, tears falling.

"All right, Sara." The man said with a sigh. "We bent them into pretzels." But he was grinning. "But for a good cause." Sara hugged Iriana again and then stepped back. Serene kissed Iriana on the cheek and did the same. "Mishka…" The man said sadly when Mishka did not move.

"_No!_" The girl begged, holding onto Iriana tighter. "_No!_ _Don't_ send me _away_. I thought she was _dead_! I thought I would never _see_ her again! It isn't _fair_! _Don't_…" She pleaded.

"Oh Mishka." Iriana said, hugging her child tight, then carefully extricating herself from Mishka's grip. "I am alive. So are you. Shh, Mishkling." She smiled with Mishka at her private name for her daughter. "We will see each other again. Someday."

"Hopefully someday soon." The odd man said with a nod. "Go on, Mishka. You have class."

"_Don't_ remind me." Michka grumbled, but her face was radiant as she joined Sara and Serene. All waved to Iriana and then they vanished.

"_Class_?" Iriana asked dubiously. "Karl didn't say where he put them." She couldn't keep anger out of her voice when she spoke the name of the clan leader she had trusted and admired.

"He had good reason for not being able to speak of it, Healer." The man said calmly. Iriana bristled and the man sighed. "Don't get me wrong. He made a _right_ mess of things. This whole… shameful episode could have been avoided if Karl had stopped to listen to Dust. He didn't."

"Won't hear _me_ say otherwise." Iriana snapped.

"Would it help to know that the reason Alicia and the Ash tried to trank you was to reunite you with Sara, Serene and Mishka?" The man asked. Iriana stiffened and the man sighed. "Karl was… balanced on the knife edge of honor. I am not saying what he did was right. He agrees it _wasn't_." Iriana's eyes narrowed again and he nodded. "Yes, I have talked to him too. _He_ was easier to find that you were." He said with a small chuckle that Iriana found herself mirroring. The man sighed. "Karl gave his word not to speak about where Sara, Serene and Mishka were." Iriana hissed and the man nodded. "You how he feels about that."

"Yes, I do." She said, manifestly against her will.

"Healer, you have been abused." The man said with a sigh. "_No one_ blames you for feeling angry over the way you have been treated."

"I don't care about me!" Iriana snapped. "But the girl… Lisa! He took her and gave her to Redi!"

"Actually…" The man said slowly. "Karl found out about it when he got his orders to help Redi. The other medics of his clan had nothing with her being taken. Neither did he."

"I went to sleep and when I woke the girl was _gone!_" Iriana snapped, angry beyond belief. "There is no way Karl didn't…" She broke off as the man raised a hand.

"He didn't know about the girl being taken until he returned from meeting the one who gave him his orders." The man said softly. "He was… irate. But he had his orders. I know about being given bad orders, Healer. I know it well. When you are in a chain of command, it can be _very_ hard to question orders. It is easy to look _back_ and say 'This was a bad order'. But at the time? With emotions running high and the Infested on the loose? With Dust to all appearances going _bonkers_? With clear orders from someone he admired and trusted?"

"I…" Iriana swallowed hard and the man nodded.

"Karl made some bad choices and he knows it, Healer." The man said sadly. "Hindsight is always clearer than foresight…" He said with a wince that Iriana shared.

"…but nowhere remotely as valuable." Iriana finished the quote and froze. "Wait… You?" She asked, her voice turning cautious as she finally recognized the being in front of her. The First Tenno. "But…"

"It is okay, Healer Iriana." Hayden Tenno said gently. "I am not here to pressure you. I am not here… in any kind of official capacity. I am here as a brother whose sister is hurting." His voice was so sad. "Whose brother screwed up, and cannot fix what he screwed up. Dust is _gone_. Jasmina has… moved away from the kin. She has her own path and I cannot say it is the wrong one. Not after all the missteps _I_ made in my own path."

"You are… energy form." Iriana said, swallowing hard. "A remnant of the being who once was called 'The First'." Hayden nodded. "Why talk to me?"

"Because no one else _can_." Hayden's voice was sad and gentle. "For the record, healer: I have talked with several people, most of the ones involved in this fiasco. None of us blame you in _any_ way. None of us would _dare_ to deny you your _rightful_ anger at the way you have been treated. At what was _done_ to a patient under your care. You are in the _right_ here." Hayden said with a nod as Iriana inhaled. "_Whatever_ you choose, no one will deny you the _right_ to choose your own path. Not… after what happened." He shook his head ruefully.

"Then…" Iriana stammered. "What?"

"You deserve to know." Hayden said dimply. "You deserve to know what happened and why it did. Then you can make whatever decisions you choose, when you have all the information. To do that… Someone else wishes to speak with you."

"I don't understand." Iriana said soberly. "If you _are_ energy form…" She recoiled a little as the man's form suddenly turned into transparent lines of golden code. "Okay…" She said with a wince. "You _are_." The man was solid looking again and smiled a bit sadly at her as she tried to marshal her thoughts. "Then… why explain? There are secrets I should not be privy to. I am a _healer_, not a warrior."

"Indeed you are." Hayden replied evenly. "But right now, we don't need a warrior. We need a healer." Iriana shook her head, even more confused. "May I call Eliza? She can explain."

"I don't understand." Iriana replied, fear beginning to build. "What do I need to do?"

"You need to choose." Hayden said quietly. "Choose what you want to do."

"I don't _understand!_" Iriana protested.

"Then maybe I can explain." A sad voice said as a form appeared nearby. A female human. She wore a golden gown and… Iriana went totally still as she saw a glowing crown on the woman's head. "Hello Healer Iriana. My name is Eliza and I am personally responsible for what has happened."

"That is…" Iriana swallowed hard. Unlike many of the people she dealt with regularly, Iriana had not been born prior to the Collapse. She had been born and raised in a hidden Tenno colony. But she knew what it was she was seeing. Every child in that colony was taught the history of the Tenno. Their successes, their failures. "That… I…" She shook her head, trying to fathom this sudden change. Suddenly rage flared. "_You_…!"

Iriana threw herself at the woman, who… didn't resist or try to dodge. Instead, she simply stood, taking the blows that Iriana was throwing at her.

"_Where the hell __**were**__ you?"_ Iriana screamed. _"Where the hell have you __**been**__? You are supposed to __**lead**__! Not __**cower**__! Where the hell have you been, you lousy __**lying**__ Orokin __**scum**__?"_ She flailed, connecting several times before she sank to her knees, crying. _"You were… You were supposed to make it all __**better**__…"_

"We failed." The woman said softly, not even touching her cheek where a bruise started to show. "Currently, the whole extent of Orokin that I lead… is less than six thousand souls." Iriana went stiff and then she just curled up on herself. "I am sorry. Dear god I am so, so sorry, Healer." The woman bowed her head and sighed. "I… When Redi came to me… Just after the Collapse… I… I didn't know what to think." She said softly. Iriana stiffened, but the woman continued. "He was… so smart. So good at working on Infested. We had so little contact. All of us… have quirks. None of us saw it, Healer. You have _got_ to believe me…" The woman begged. "_None_ of us saw his madness. We knew he was a Caretaker. None of us understood what had happened or why. Not until Jasmina jerked us up short. Not until she screamed in my face, told me what my father had ordered _her_ to do and told _me_ to '**** off'."

Iriana couldn't help it, she had to chuckle at that. That _did_ so sound like Jasmina.

"I took Karl's oath of silence, Healer." The Empress of Orokin said softly. "It was on _my_ orders that one of my guards sedated the girl known as Brownie and removed her from Karl's dojo. It was _my_ orders to Karl that kept him from stopping Redi when that madman took Elenia from Dust." Iriana was shaking her head in horror but the Empress was not finished. "And it was _my_ orders that told Karl to protect Redi until he could finish his… abomination." Eliza bowed her head again. "Then it was _my_ orders when I tried to confine Jasmina, to _help_ her." She put air quotes around the word 'help'. "I am responsible."

"Why?" Iriana begged. "_Why_ help Redi? Why…_cover_ for him? Why?" She pleaded, tears falling. "He was _insane_."

"Yes he was." Eliza said sadly. "But he was also brilliant. He made an experimental machine that helped my daughter. I was willing to overlook some…eccentricities. I overlooked too much."

"I'll say you did." A sour voice had all of them spinning. Jasmina stood nearby in her Ember Prime.

"And I _really_ think it's time you paid."


	11. Chapter 11

**Code**

"_Jasmina_…" Iriana breathed. The Ember Prime had no weapons visible, but both the energy form male and the female in the gown recoiled from her.

"Iriana. You okay?" Jasmina asked, not taking her eyes from the man. He also did not move at all.

"I am fine." Iriana said softly. "How did you…?" She trailed off as the Ember chuckled without humor.

"After your research…" Jasmina said dryly. "…we had you under close surveillance. We didn't trust you not to try something anyway. When your brain waves shifted, I came as fast as I could."

"I _might_ have done something dumb." Iriana admitted. "That poor boy is dying."

"I know." Jasmina said quietly. Then she blew out a breath. "Well, First One. Emp_ress_…" The word 'Empress' was sour and Eliza winced.

"I have earned your wrath, Caretaker Jasmina." Eliza said softly. "Many times over. I need to…" She broke off as Jasmina snarled.

"You need to _get lost_." The Ember snapped. "Leave Iriana _alone_. That is _all_ I am going to say to you." She turned slightly away from Eliza and focused on the male.

"Tenno Jasmina…" The shade of the First Tenno said slowly, still not moving. "You have a right to your anger. Both with the Empress and with Karl."

"Good to know." The Ember said sourly. "I am waiting for you to leave." She said pointedly. A toe started tapping. Not a good sign.

"Eliza… Go before she hurts you." Hayden said quietly. She nodded and vanished. He shook his head and spoke calmly to Jasmina. "You have as much a right to your anger as Iriana here does. More." The First Tenno said slowly. "But there is information you need to know."

"I am not yours anymore." Jasmina said with a snort. "What can you possibly say to me?"

"Do you want Karl dead_?_" Hayden asked quietly.

"_What_?" Iriana snapped, Jasmina did not move. "What do you _mean_?"

"Karl is in seclusion at the moment, meditating on what he did wrong." Hayden's voice was still quiet, but held entreaty. "He stepped down as the leader of his clan." Iriana staggered but Jasmina just shook her head.

"I don't see what that has to do with us." The Ember said with a shrug. "Still waiting for you to leave."

"Just out curiosity, Jasmina…" Hayden said with a shrug of his own. "What would happen if _you_ gave your _word_ to keep silence on a matter? Then, you were given a direct order from _another__,_ under oath of _truth_, to talk about it?" At that, Jasmina stiffened. "Either way… _Speak_ of it or _don't_… foresworn…"

"He will kill himself." Jasmina said softly.

"Aw _crap_…" Iriana said with feeling. "_No._ I _don't_ want him _dead!_"

"Karl goes before the Elders in a few days." Hayden nodded. "When he _does_… They want to know what happened to Dust and the girl he called Brownie. They will _order_ Karl to tell them. They will ask who ordered him to aid Redi. He _cannot_ answer them." Iriana gulped. "You _know_ what he will do." He bowed. First to Iriana and then to Jasmina. Then he vanished.

"Jasmina…" Iriana said, her heart sinking.

"You need to rest, Iriana." Jasmina said quietly. "We will talk when you wake up. Certainly not here."

"I…" Iriana slumped and then nodded. "I… I need to know…"

"_Not_ here." The Ember said softly. "Come on." She said gently, reaching for Iriana's hand. She took it and…

* * *

**Later**

Iriana woke up refreshed, but her heart was heavy. She remembered. She opened her eyes and looked around, but no one else was in the room. Well, no one but the hovering form of Twee-kee. She shook her head and rose, careful of the stump of her right arm. The sanitary facilities took some work with only one arm as well, but she was feeling far more like herself as she finished toweling her head off carefully. As she exited, Lisa was there, a mass of something in her hand.

"Lisa?" Iriana asked, her face falling.

"Healer has Curtis." Lisa said sadly. "He hasn't woken. He likely won't." She came close, the mass resolving into a set of bandages. Iriana paused.

"I don't think bandaging the scalp will help." Iriana said with a sigh, but sat and let Lisa start applying them to her skull. Nothing hurt, and the organic bandages would degrade in time, being absorbed into the body to be used as nutrients. Thankfully, she had always preferred her hair short, so the shaven patches were not to bad.

"Maybe not." Lisa agreed. "But reminding you of what happened every time you look in the mirror cannot help either." The kindness in her words had Iriana smiling and the Healer did not protest as Lisa finished up and checked the stump of her arm. Was it her imagination or was the odd cap like thing further down than it had been? "It is growing, but not fast." Lisa confirmed.

"Regrowing." Iriana said with a nod, staring at the odd thing. "But… not Infested?"

"No." Lisa said mildly. "None of us would do that to you."

"Part of me is sad." Iriana said softly. "Part of me is glad. All of me is…" She slumped a bit. "Scared and angry." Lisa nodded and reached out to hug the healer.

"I know." Lisa said softly. "If you have questions, or just want to talk, I am here."

"I…" Iriana swallowed and then dove in. "Could the mind mass take the boy in? Sequester his mind while his body heals from the overdose?"

"We…contemplated that option." Lisa said soberly. "Our consensus is 'No'." Iriana stared at the younger woman then buried her face in her hand. "I am sorry. If we did, he… would lose himself. His body would live, but…" She shook her head. "His mind would be subsumed. He is not strong enough to survive." Lisa's eyes were glistening and Iriana's were burning. "I am sorry. I know that is not what you want to hear."

"I…" Iriana sat for a moment and then nodded soberly. "I will ease his passing." Lisa jerked and then paled.

"Healer, if you enter his mind, his cravings will hit you. They are still there, if muted by the palliative" The young woman said sharply. "They will _hurt_ you. They may _undo_ what Healer has done."

"Lisa." Iriana said calmly. "It is what I _do_."

"Healer Iriana…" Lisa said softly. "We _cannot_ let you come to harm this way. We will…explore options, but we cannot allow you to merge with his mind as hurt as you still are. The neural trauma has eased, but you _know_ how it can be." Iriana jerked and then had to nod. Trauma to the neurons of the brain could be very hard to detect or treat. "We cannot place you in danger. Not now, not _ever_." Lisa said flatly when Iriana would have protested.

"It's what I _do_…" Iriana said weakly.

"I know." Lisa said sadly. "Denying you the ability to do what you are called to do is a bad thing. But if you do… And his need for the drug hits you…" She hugged Iriana tight. "I am sorry. We can't let you come to harm."

"Is Jasmina awake?" Iriana said softly. Lisa nodded. "I need to talk to her."

"I saw what happened." Lisa said quietly. Iriana looked at her and Lisa made a face. "When we realized you were…experiencing difficulties, we all merged with Jasmina to help her. In case whoever was molesting your dreams proved…difficult."

"Then you know that I do not want Karl dead." Iriana said softly.

"We are… ambivalent." Lisa said after a moment. "His actions hurt me and led to Champion's…" She paused and shrugged. "I mean _Dust_'s death. But at the same time, if Karl _was_ following orders…" She shook her head. "Some of the beings who became part of the mind mass were soldiers. Their point of view is _very_ different from ours."

"Tenno are more than just soldiers." Iriana said with a sigh. "At least, we are _supposed_ to be."

"And Tenno _never_ make mistakes?" Lisa asked softly. Iriana jerked and Lisa nodded. "Healer… I am not going to press you. _None_ of us are. We are here to _help_ you, no more, no less. Support, healing, listening, a shoulder if you need it." Lisa said as Iriana bowed her head. "We will not hurt you or allow you to come to harm."

"I…" Iriana said through sudden tears. Lisa hugged her again. "I need to talk to Jasmina."

"I will get her." Lisa said softly. "And Healer… It won't be long. Curtis' body… is failing."

"I know." Iriana said softly as Lisa rose and strode to the door. "I know." Lisa left and Jasmina entered a moment later. "Jasmina…"

"I am not going to pretend I am not angry, Iriana." The female Tenno said quietly. She had taken off her warframe and wore a fleshy garment like Lisa's. "But… I also know what Karl did. And why."

"Orokin." Iriana said just as quietly. "How long have they been moving behind the scenes?"

"I don't know." Jasmina said with a sigh. "Truth be told, I don't _care_. I am focusing on the here and now. As long as they leave me and mine alone, they can do whatever the _hell_ they want."

"Jasmina." Iriana said reproachfully. "You know better."

"What do you want me to _say_, Iriana?" Jasmina asked with a shrug. "Karl's adherence to orders got the man I loved killed. He essentially _gave_ my sister Elenia to Redi to be tortured and put into a horrible machine. He may not have given Lisa to the scum too, but he didn't stop it. If Karl had…" She took a deep breath and then sighed. "Yes, I am angry."

"With cause." Iriana said soberly. "Let none say otherwise. Do _you_ want him dead?"

"Part of me does." Jasmina admitted. "Part of me wants to see him screaming under my knife. The rest? I don't know." She said sadly as she knelt by Iriana.

"Vengeance?" Iriana asked slowly.

"No." Jasmina said softly. "Vengeance is not the answer. I know that. I just…" She slumped a bit and smiled. "Always the healer, huh?"

"Always." Iriana said with a matching sad smile. Then she shook her head. "I can't let Karl die, Jasmina. As angry as I am with that big lunk… I can't." She looked sidelong at the warrior Tenno. "Can you?"

"No." Jasmina said after a moment. "No, I guess not. The Empress is the one I am really angry at. And you know the _worst_ part? I can see her point of view." Iriana's eyes went wide at that and Jasmina snorted mirthlessly. "I don't _agree_ with it, mind you. But I _can_ see it. Feral Infested are one of the worst, if not _the_ worst threat in the Solar System currently."

"But… your… friends are not feral." Iriana said slowly. "Are they?"

"No." Jasmina reassured her. "And that is my job and Elenia's. To keep that from happening."

"Oh." Iriana swallowed hard. "I see."

"No." Jasmina said gently. "You don't. And I hope you never do. It is a horrible burden. But it is one I accepted. Much as you did when Mavri dropped the title 'Healer' on you."

"Didn't have a clue what was involved. But I get to help people." Iriana said in sad memory. "You?"

"The same even if they are not human or Tenno." Jasmina admitted. "It is my job and I am good at it if I do say so myself." Iriana smiled a bit forlornly but then shook herself. "What do you need?"

"I need to talk to Karl." Iriana said slowly. "I think we _both_ do." Jasmina looked at her and Iriana flushed. "I am not… denigrating your loss, Jasmina. But this schism _must_ be dealt with."

"I know." Jasmina looked away for a moment. "Part of me doesn't want to. But the rest of me knows that if I allow this anger and hate to fester it will." She slumped a bit. "I was always better at hating."

"Yeah, me too." Iriana replied. Jasmina looked at her and Iriana shrugged. "_What_? You think warriors are the _only_ ones allowed to hate?"

"No." Jasmina said with a nod. "You have as much a right to emotion as anyone. And-" She broke off and jumped up. "We are needed!"

"Curtis?" Iriana asked as she rose as well. Jasmina nodded and Iriana followed her at a run.

They ran into another room where Lisa was standing by abed, her face intent on the occupant. Curtis was asleep. Or… No. Iriana's heart plummeted as she saw the medical monitors set up nearby. His heart had stopped. Training took over. She snarled and grabbed the emergency kit she had stashed nearby. Lisa moved aside, Jasmina moving to the bedside to assist as Iriana started her work. Even as the first leads went in, she could tell it was hopeless. The boy's body had simply shut down. But she refused to give up. After several tense moments, his heart started beating again, and he opened his eyes.

"Mom?" He asked, his vision obviously unclear. "It hurts…"

"It's okay, Curtis." Iriana said quietly, working feverishly. "It will be okay." She promised him.

"I wanna go home." Curtis begged. "Mom… Please… I wanna… go…" His eyes closed again.

"_No_!" Iriana screamed as his rhythms fell again. "No, no nononono!" This time… she couldn't get him back. She fought on. It wasn't until a soft touch landed on her shoulder that she paused in her work, tears falling. It…wasn't a hand.

_You did everything you could._ Healer said sadly.

"Wasn't enough." Iriana said, staring at the small, sad form. "It wasn't _enough_." She said through her tears. "I…" Something warm wrapped around her and pulled her away as she sobbed. Elenia stepped past her and reached out to cover the still face with the sheet that had covered him. Then she laid something beside the boy's head. "Will you… consume him?" Iriana asked tearfully.

_No._ Healer replied. _He was more than just biomass. He was Curtis, a boy._

"A victim." Iriana agreed. "As are we all." Whatever was holding her released her and two sets of arms hugged Iriana as she stumbled away from the bed. "You asked me if I hate, Jasmina. I hate that." She waved her hand at the still shrouded form.

"You didn't fail him, Iriana." Jasmina said nearby.

"I know." Iriana's tone belied her words. "I hate it when my true enemy wins."

"Your…_true enemy_?" Lisa asked, confused. The touch was back on Iriana's shoulder again.

_Death._ Healer said softly.

"Death." Jasmina agreed and Lisa made a soft noise of understanding. "Some of us deal Death, she _battles_ it. Come on, Iriana. Come away." The hands and what had to be a tentacle were gentle, but irresistible as they led her away from the bed. "We will… be gentle with him, sister."

"I know it is just a shell." Iriana said, still crying. "But…"

"No." Lisa said softly. "His corporeal from is a representation of him. Of his life. Of his pain. Of his struggle. Of our loss." Iriana nodded jerkily.

"I… I need…" She staggered a bit and hissed as the hands held her. "I can walk!" She protested.

"I know you can." Jasmina said softly, but did not let go. "We need to talk. All of us."

"_All_ of…" Iriana looked up to see that Jasmina and Lisa had led her into a room where the humans were all sitting. They must have heard, all looked sad. Jal and Pat, near the front, looked _angry_. "I am sorry." Iriana said, bowing her head.

"We are not angry with you, Healer Iriana. You have _nothing_ to be sorry for." Pat said quickly, Jal nodding energetically. "We are angry that it happened. That it was allowed to happen. The course of events that happened to set us all here." Iriana paused in her tears and Pat continued, her tone considered. "Tenno Jasmina and her…friends have been more than fair. More than generous."

"You have been given few reasons to trust my kind. Infested _or_ Tenno." Jasmina said in her own defense. "Courtesy in extremity is the _least_ I can do."

"You have been far more than courteous." Jal said. Iriana noted that he was holding Pat's hand and Pat…wasn't shying away. Leading to something? Maybe. Maybe some good would come from this horror. "We want to help."

"Help?" Iriana asked, confused. "With what?"

"There is too much death in the Solar System." Pat said firmly. "Too many lives casually snuffed out by greed, by ignorance, by racism or by apathy. I bet the way you and Tenno Jasmina are is the way your kind are intended to act, Healer Jasmina. And Artus. Noble, selfless, considerate and caring."

"Don't compare me to Artus." Jasmina said in a quick and somewhat silly voice. "He might get mad." Chuckles went around the room and the subtle tension that had been building vanished. "We…" Jasmina said with a sigh. "I have ulterior motives. The more friends I have who are not Infested, the better our chances. The mass of Infested who are sane is hugely outweighed by the masses of Infested that are not. The others… are as dangerous as you have heard or _more_ _so_."

"So we figured." Pat said with a nod. "But… What happens to people when the battles are done? When the Tenno have slaughtered the enemy and left? Tenno cannot tend wounded that are not their own. Cannot mend lives and heal souls." Iriana went stiff.

"Pat…" Iriana asked, stunned. "You are not proposing what I think you are. If a staff were coordinated in one place, a hospital… The Grineer would slaughter any hospital staff they can find! The Corpus would descend in droves, first to sell their garbage and then to steal people to brainwash, hale or not. And Infested…" She shuddered.

"I am not saying it would be easy." Pat said softly. "But it would let you fight your enemy on your own terms. We ask you to lead us in making this goal a reality."

"Me?" Iriana squeaked. "I… I am just a healer." She sagged, exhausted.

"And you are tired." Pat said with a nod. "Rest. We will have a fleshed out idea for you when you wake."

"There is something else I need to do before we even start to contemplate this." Iriana said as Lisa and Jasmina started to guide her away.

"My enemy is after someone I once considered a friend. I _will_ stop Death from taking Karl."


	12. Chapter 12

**Vessels**

"This is insane, Iriana." Jasmina protested for about the fifth time. She hadn't put her warframe back on yet.

"Jasmina, we have been over this." Iriana said sourly. Lisa stood at her side, a small pack of probably unnecessary medical gear slung. "I am going."

"At least _arm_ Twee-kee!" The Caretaker said, her posture utterly defeated. "Please? For me?" The small orange machine could not project unhappiness where it hovered by Iriana's shoulder. But it sure tried.

"And if I show up with an unauthorized _armed_ sentinel…?" Iriana said with a patient look. "What happens? As it is, with its advanced sensors and medical gear, I can honestly say it _is_ an assistant. Which it _is_. If it is hostile, or they think it _could_ be…" She trailed off expectantly.

"Boom." Jasmina said sadly. "I… I am stalling."

"I know." Iriana said quietly. She shook herself, staring down at the stump of her right arm, at the odd fleshy garment that covered her. "I don't expect them to take my word. At least not at first. But whatever you do: Do _not_ follow me." She cautioned. "They will be on hair trigger."

"I know." Jasmina said and then stepped forward, hands outstretched. "Be careful, please? I nearly had a heart attack when I saw you in that bed. I… You worry me." The warrior admitted.

"I know." Iriana said gently, hugging the Tenno one handed. "And I will make sure they are gentle with Lisa." It had been a hell of a shock. First to find out that Jasmina had been pregnant with Dust's child and then to find out that _Lisa_ of all people had stepped up to act as a surrogate while Jasmina defended the mind mass. Iriana was…humbled by the human woman. In so many ways.

"Don't worry about me, Healer." Lisa said with a smile. "I can take care of myself. Now anyway." She said with a sad smile of memory. "Just keep them from shooting us and it will be fine."

"I will do my best." Iriana promised and then nodded to Jasmina who stepped back. "I am ready."

"I am _not_." Jasmine said sourly, but then stepped off the small golden platform. "We have routed it through five different nexus branches. It will be longer than a regular portal shift. Longer than the one we took to get here, but our systems tell me that Avalon tracked two of the three nexus jumps we took to get here, so I am taking no chances. Lisa?"

"I am ready." Lisa said, sitting down in case of vertigo so she wouldn't fall. Iriana hastily followed suit.

"We _will_ be monitoring." Jasmina said quietly, but with force. "If you look to be in danger, we _will_ come. Consequences be damned, I am _not_ going to lose another loved one."

"I know. And it is appreciated." Iriana said with a smile. Then she sobered. "But don't jump the gun, please? They are going to be _very_ surprised."

"I'll say." Jasmina said with a grin as she stepped to the wall where a small recessed panel shone. "Good journey, sisters."

Iriana smiled and held out her hand to Lisa as the room turned golden. Lisa took the hand and then…

It was longer and Iriana felt nauseous as reality shifted around her in rapid succession but it was quickly over. Suddenly they were sitting on the floor of an Orokin tower. A familiar one.

-Do not move.- A monotone voice spoke from nearby as several large turrets with menacing looking devices swiveled to aim at them. –Unauthorized portal access detected. Unauthorized transit detected. Security enroute. Identify.-

"Identification; Iriana, Healer Second Class." Iriana said as calmly as she could with so many powerful weapons aimed at her. The tower had _seriously_ upgraded it's defenses since Nicholas and his rogue Tenno had attacked and nearly kidnapped Iriana herself, Serene and Sara. "With me are: One Sentinel, medical classification assistant drone and one guest, designation 'Lisa'." Lisa's hand squeezed Iriana's but the healer…

"_Iriana_?" A startled voice sounded from nearby and Lisa gave an 'eep' as a gold covered form with similarly colored hoops on it's face appeared nearby. "Is that _you_?" The form gasped. "You are _hurt_!"

"I am okay, Luc." Iriana said with a smile. "It's been… an interesting week." She said in a tone of monumental understatement.

"What happened?" The voice of the being who had once been a renegade Tenno and was now for all intents and purposes a slave to the Orokin tower said sharply. "We heard you vanished. Then that you had been hurt and…taken…by Infested…" He retreated a step.

"Luc…" Irian said heavily. "Be easy. Scan me. Scan Lisa. Scan the _drone_. Any weapons? Any _pathogens_?" She pressed. Luc was a good sort, but…excitable. Smart as a whip and utterly dedicated to serving the tower now with his impressive intellect, but…excitable.

"No." Luc replied. "The…garments are…odd." He said softly. "Almost…warframes, but… organic." He shook his head. "I… Where have you _been_?" He begged her as a team of security drones appeared, Twee-Kee hovered protectively over Iriana as the drones surrounded the newly come trio. "Your... head and your arm. We also read…oddities in your body chemistry. Differences."

"Correlate said differences with the opiate painkiller known as 'morphine'." Iriana said calmly as the drones scanned the stationary trio. "I was hurt and rescued by humans with limited tech base. The only painkiller they had at the time was morphine."

"Changes… correlated." Luc said, his link to the tower systems allowing for near instantaneous computation. "Oh, Iriana…?" Luc asked, abject. "What happened?"

"I was betrayed." Iriana said softly. Luc stiffened and Iriana nodded. "The humans I went to help had been taken days before in a Grineer slave raid. The few survivors rescued me when I fled and was hurt."

"Then who sent the distress call?" Luc asked, confused. "It came through…" He paused and then gasped. "No…"

"I don't _know_ all the particulars, Luc." Iriana said heavily. "And I am _not_ going to make accusations until I do. You need to scan me completely, make sure I am clean. You need to scan Lisa too. Be _gentle_. She is expecting."

"As… you wish." Luc said as a team of medics approached, they were clad in hazmat gear. "The drone?"

"It's orders are to protect me and assist me." Iriana said sourly. "I bet it is going to insist on following me. It shouldn't mess up any scans. I argued, but…" She shrugged.

"It is unarmed." Luc said slowly, then stepped back as the medics came close. They were not actual humans despite their form and their actions. They were highly advanced bio-synthetic matrices that held the memories of humans. Not humans, but feeling and acting as them.

"Healer…" One of the android said reverently. "We feared for you."

"I bet." Iriana said dryly. "Did they send my key and Skana?"

"What?" Two of them said at once as they were setting up a pair of hover gurneys.

"Contact Karl's clan." Iriana said flatly. "Tell them I want my portal key and Skana back."

"This is going to be a hell of an explanation, isn't it?" Luc asked slowly as Lisa and Iriana were assisted to lie down to the gurneys. "They said… you were lost."

"I was." Iriana said softly. "But I am home now. And… There are problems to solve and lives to save. Come on…" She nodded as she lay back on the gurney. "Let's get this over with."

* * *

**A few hours of poking and prodding later**

"Iriana…" The soft, scared voice, pulled Iriana out of a doze. She looked up to see a familiar face.

"Hello, Karen." Iriana said gently. "How you doing?" The young human turned Tenno wore robes instead of her usual Mag warframe and her face was… awful. Haggard.

"Not good." Karen said, bowing her head. "I… I brought your key and Skana… We… We thought I would be the least threatening."

"Ah, Karen…" Iriana sighed. "Come here." She held out her hand and Karen came close. "I don't blame _you_, or _anyone_ except Karl and the one he took orders from." Karen went still and Iriana nodded. "I _know_ who it was." Karen's eyes went wide, but Iriana shook her head. "I won't say. The…reasons that the knowledge has not been broadcast all over the system are fairly easy to understand. I don't blame you, Karen."

"_I_ do." Karen said weakly. "Everything has gone wrong. Aeron won't talk to anyone, not even _me_. Will _hurt_ Kori the other day in training." Iriana's eyes went wide and Karen bowed her head. "And now Karl is _gone_. I don't know what to do." She laid Iriana's sword and portal key beside the reclining healer. "I need to… get back…"

"Karen." Iriana said, still holding her hand out. "Come here." She commanded.

The tower systems had scanned Iriana and Lisa thoroughly before letting both out of quarantine. The systems were fascinated by the garments that both females wore and had started fitting Iriana for a temporary prosthetic that would fit over her regrowing arm. Once they had determined that the growth on Iriana's arm was not contagious, the research staff had been fascinated as well. It apparently worked faster than Orokin regeneration techniques outside of warframes. It also built more of the garment over every bit of her arm as it was regrown. To top it all off, Iriana had managed to get hold of her psyche profile and was working to ease the remnants of her own addiction. But Karen was staring at her hand as if it were a life preserver and she was drowning.

"Karen." Iriana said gently. "I am _not_ angry with you. Come here." She pleaded. "Please?" Karen stepped close, Twee-Kee beeped at her, but subsided when Iriana glanced at the Sentinel.

"I am sorry." Karen said simply as she reached for Iriana's hand. When Iriana grasped it, she pulled Karen close. "I am so sorry. I wasn't involved. I was out. Aeron was… I…" She was crying as Iriana rose from her bed to hug her. "I am sorry."

"You are not at fault, Karen." Iriana said softly, running Karen's hair soothingly as the young Tenno cried. "The others…" She shook her head. "I disagree with how they interpreted the situation, but… Karen…" Iriana chided the crying girl gently. "That is the past. We need to focus on the _now_ and the _future_."

"You are so much better than any of us." Karen said sadly. "I don't know what to do."

"We need to fix this." Iriana said firmly. "And to do _that_, I need to find Karl. But before _that_, I need to talk to Miguel."

"Miguel?" Karen asked, confused. "I don't understand. He doesn't leave the dojo."

"I know." Iriana said with a wince. "I am going to the dojo. I need to talk to everyone, but… Miguel first. Can you…tell them?"

"Tell them what?" Karen asked, calming a little.

"Tell them…" Iriana said slowly and carefully. "…that I know what happened. I know why it happened. I am very angry. But I want to try and fix this. Helping others is my job. I know what Karl plans." Karen swallowed hard. "And I won't let him do it without a fight."

"But you don't fight." Karen said, uncomprehending.

"There are many ways of fighting, child." Iriana said, hugging Karen again and then releasing her. "But for right now, the tower systems want to analyze this garment, fit me for a prosthetic and get a full report from me on what happened." She nodded as Karen slumped. "I am not going to lie about what happened. You people tried to kidnap me. Maybe for a good reason…" She said as Karen made a noise of regret. "…but you did. There will be inquiries and punishment." Karen nodded soberly. "Thank you for bringing my key and Skana, Karen." She released Karen and lay back. "There are going to let me up as soon as the scans are checked again. As soon as my prosthesis is ready, I will be coming. Tell them."

"I will." Karen said, bowing formally. "I am glad you are alive, Healer Iriana."

"Me too, Karen." Iriana said with an impish grin that made a ghost of a grin appear on Karen's face. "Go on." She said playfully. "Scat. I will be by in a while."

"I…" Karen bowed her head and left the room.

"Healer." The tower systems always spoke aloud to her. They could project it directly into her mind, but she appreciated the courtesy. "Are you certain of this course of action? They were the cause of your injuries."

"Yes, they were." Iriana said firmly. "But Karl was my friend. Even if he did betray me, I was told he was trying to reunite me with Mishka, Sara and Serene. I don't know what they would have told you."

"This is…difficult to understand." The tower systems replied uneasily. "We have not and will not probe your mind without cause. But this is…" It stopped speaking as Iriana chuckled.

"Illogical?" Iriana asked, still chuckling. "Yes, it is. But they were my friends. Karl and the one who supported the monster Redi are to blame. The others? No." She shook her head. "And I don't want Karl _dead_. I told you."

"You did." The tower systems said quietly. "He is… a good Tenno."

"Most of the time." Iriana said flatly. "He needs a swift kick in the butt at the moment. Which is why I want to talk to Miguel. The human was a soldier. Before Nicholas took him."

"Ah." The systems replied, confusion fading. "You seek understanding of what orders are for soldiers or warriors?"

"I have the intellectual knowledge." Iriana said with a nod. "Definitions and such. But I need to be sure. Before I find Karl, I need to be _sure_."

"Are you sure you can find him?" The systems asked calmly.

"Not before he faces the Elders." Iriana admitted. "If it takes barging into their midst to stop him, I _will_."

"Healer." The tower systems actually groaned.

"I know, I know." Iriana said with a sigh. "How is Lisa?"

"She has so many questions." The tower systems said with approval. "Her child is doing well. We will do as you ask, although… the dishonesty does seem…" The voice trailed off as Iriana nodded.

"I will not place her back in their hands." Iriana said flatly. "I told her, before we came, that I would leave her here for a time. She was… not happy about it, but she acquiesced." She paused. "A bit too easily actually. Keep an eye on her, please?"

"We will do so." The tower replied. "Your prosthesis is ready, Healer." It declared as a machine swung down from the ceiling. Iriana did not move as an appendage arced down to cover her right arm. She jerked as something hurt, but then the appendage retracted, leaving Iriana to stare at a golden arm.

"Permission to test?" Iriana asked, not moving. But... she could feel.

"Granted." The tower systems replied as the appendage retracted back where it had come, vanishing into the smooth ceiling as a door slid shut.

Iriana slowly raised the gleaming appendage so she could look at it. As she moved it, she tried to curl her fingers and they worked. She turned the arm in several directions, trying each range of motion. It was fabricated to mimic a human arm, so the range of motion was familiar.

"Okay." Iriana said, sitting up. "The sooner I get there, the sooner I can get back. I need to…"

"Alert!" The tower said sharply. "Unauthorized portal use! Guest designate 'Lisa' has left the tower!"

"Lisa!" Iriana shouted as she scooped up her key and Skana. She ran from the room, Twee-kee following. "Where did she go?"

"She distracted the drone sent to accompany her and used the settings Tenno Karen used." The Tower systems said. Iriana cursed. "Apologies, healer."

"She is far smarter than she looks!" Iriana snapped as she skidded into the portal chamber. "Set it for me and send a com to tell them I am coming?"

"Done." The systems responded. "Healer!" It called and she paused.

"Yes?" Iriana asked, stepping towards the platform.

"Be careful." The tower begged her. "We nearly lost you. Please…"

"I will." Iriana promised as Twee-Kee hovered near her, obviously upset by this course of events. She stepped onto the platform and…

"_Lisa!_" Iriana shouted as she saw the girl lying on the floor nearby. A ring of familiar Tenno stood nearby, some in warframes, some not. All were armed, but… All but one of them were aiming their weapons at the other. A familiar Ash that had frozen, a small box in his hand. Lisa lay curled up in a fetal position, her eyes shut and her face slack. Iriana stepped forward, anger rising. They had done it again! Hurt Lisa again! "What have you _done_ to her?"

"Iriana…" Alicia actually stumbled backwards, despite her warframe. Her rifle drooped as she stared at the Healer. "I… She came out of the portal and _collapsed_. Janas pointed that box at her and she _collapsed_!"

Iriana turned to look at the Ash. Her lips curled in a snarl. "Gonna take her back to your mistress _again_, Guardsman?"

"Over our _dead_ _bodies_." Came from a Saryn nearby. "Hello Iriana."

"Mori." Iriana said, calming slowly when the Ash didn't try anything. "Should I trust you?'

"No." Mori replied. "We have given you no reason to. Many reasons not to." The Saryn did not lower the Acrid that was aimed at the Ash. "Put it down, Janas. Eliza did not order you to hurt the girl. Who did?"

"You… too?" Iriana felt her world suddenly start turning in circles. "How many _others_ are here?" She demanded.

"Just us currently." Mori replied, her weapon steady. "What is it going to be, Janas? Explain, or die? Why have you done this?" Iriana dodged to the side as the portal behind her lit up, but… The woman coming through was alone. She wore civilian clothes, but she was no civilian. She…was not wearing her crown.

"I'd like an answer to that too." Eliza said with a tired nod.


	13. Chapter 13

**Blockage**

"_What the_…?"

Iriana was hardly the only person to stammer those words as Eliza, Empress of Orokin, stepped forward towards the Ash that had gone completely still at her arrival and slowly took the box from his hand. She shook her head.

"We wondered where this had gotten to." Eliza said sadly. "_Why_ Janas? _Why_ take this from Chirurgeon? Did you think to ambush Jasmina or Elenia with it?" Janas just stared at her. "_Why?_" She demanded.

"I…" He obviously swallowed.

"Em- Um… Eliza…" Will said slowly, coming out of his shock. "You shouldn't be here." He had lowered his Braton when she had appeared, now he took aim at Janas again. Not that the Ash had moved. The Royal Guard Tenno seemed just as stunned as everyone else.

"Neither should _this_." Eliza snapped. "It's _supposed_ to be destroyed. Or at least locked in a _very_ secure vault until it _could_ be destroyed. When Chirurgeon went to get it to destroy it, it was gone." Eliza said as she grimaced down at the box in her hand. Her shoulders fell as she looked at Lisa. Then she held out the box to Iriana. "This was intended as a sedation device. I think it has been subverted, Healer."

"And you would give it to _me_?" Iriana said, her face set. "I touch it and… What? Zap?" She asked sourly.

"No." Eliza said, slowly sinking to kneel in seiza. There was nothing subservient about her posture. Just… readiness. "Or… I don't think so." She set the box down and shook her head sadly as she touched Lisa's still form for a moment before withdrawing. "We have hurt this one… too many times, Healer. My life is hers. And yours."

"_What?_" The shout came from many throats all around. Every weapon had fallen away now. The Ash slowly sank, not into seiza, but… into a dejected kneeling position. He slowly and carefully removed all of his weapons, setting them aside. Then he bowed his head and waited.

"_Why_ Janas?" Eliza demanded. "We were in the _wrong_. _I_ said it. _Michelle_ said it. The _Assembly_ said it! The _Royal Guard_ all said it. _Everyone_ agreed! _Everyone!_ _Why_?" She nearly screamed. "_Why_ dishonor us all… _again_…?" She was shaking her head.

"I wanted to help." Janas said in a tiny voice. "I thought if I gave it back… They would…" He slumped. "No excuse."

"The moment she showed up…" Alicia said into the silence that fell. "She screamed, clutched her head and collapsed." Iriana moved to stand near Lisa. Twee-kee's sensors started whirring. But she was hyperaware of everything around her. "I don't know why. My own scans were… inconclusive."

"The box has brain matter in it." Eliza said softly. "Hers." More than one of the surrounding Tenno recoiled. "Redi took it from her… The first time he hurt her." She bowed her head. "We… We didn't know about that until... When Chirurgeon looked, he found traces of the other… violations."

"What the Infested did was a _kindness_." Iriana said sharply. "To remove the horror from her memory so she could have as much of a normal life as she could when… damaged."

"What Redi did to this poor girl was unconscionable." Eliza said with a nod. "I didn't know when he arrived at Avalon, just after the Collapse. We put him to work studying what we knew of the Infested. He was… invaluable." She said in a monotone. "Until Jasmina told me what happened, I didn't know what my father had done. That he had ordered her to unleash the Infested from the Caretaker's facility. What she had found there. What she had found that Redi had _done_ there." She swallowed hard. "Once I knew where to look, I found the records. Jasmina's reports. What my father ordered. All this time…" She said with a wince. "I thought the Tenno who killed him were rogue. Now I wonder. Was he _insane_? He _had_ to be, to order that."

"Or desperate." Iriana said, manifestly against her will. "Either way, with what happened…" She shrugged. "Does it matter now?"

"It matters to me." Eliza said softly. "As does this." She gently stroked Lisa's brow. Then she took a deep breath. "I surrender to you, Tenno Will." Several people inhaled sharply. "Do with me what you will."

"Eliza…" Will said slowly. Mori hadn't as much as twitched. "They need you."

"They need a leader they can _trust_." Eliza said sadly. "Right now? No one trusts me. With good reason. I screwed up. I trusted Redi. I wanted to believe in what he promised. An end to the Infested. He promised that this girl and Caretaker Elenia would not be harmed. All lies." She swallowed heavily. "I… When I got Chirurgeon's reports on what was being done to Elenia, I went to stop him, but I was too late. He was gone. With her. You all know what happened."

"You could have sent a messenger." Will protested.

"Would Karl have _believed_ a messenger?" Eliza said softly. "It took me an _hour_ to get that stubborn Tenno to accept my orders in the first place. He defines hardheaded." She said a bit fondly. "I was getting a team ready to send to stop Redi. But before they could go, Karl sent word of what happened. Then he came himself. He was… furious." She shook her head. "I don't blame him. My responsibility, healer. I will see this made right."

"I don't think you can." Iriana said sternly. "You cannot bring Dust back!"

"No." Eliza said sadly. "But…" She pulled a small box similar to the one on the floor from a pocket and put it beside the one on the floor. "We found this in Redi's effects. In a case marked 'Searches'. We have determined that it is also brain matter, but not from the girl."

"Then… who?" Mori asked when the area went silent.

"We think it is Dust's." Eliza replied. "One of the things I was hoping to ask Jasmina was if she wanted this box. As far as we know, it is all that is left of him. We only had the other box out in the throne room as a safeguard. Then she was… so confrontational. So angry. I don't –can't- blame her for that. But I couldn't let her go. Not like that. Not in the middle of everything. With all the wounds so raw. I wanted to help. Somehow. Now… maybe I can."

"I don't think it will matter." Iriana said softly, staring at the two small boxes. They looked too innocuous to be so horrible. "Jasmina has her duty now and she won't let anyone dictate to her."

"True." Eliza replied. "I don't know what to do now." She said simply. "I came to make amends and find out what Janas wanted with the box." She said with a sigh.

"I don't kill people." Iriana said with a snarl. "Be glad." She bent over Lisa and shook her head as Twee-Kee showed a holo of the scans it had done. "There doesn't seem to be anything wrong with her. But there must be." She looked at the boxes again and then at the assembled Tenno. "Can you take custody of these? Move them to shielded storage? Something in them has to be hurting Lisa."

"You would trust us?" Will asked slowly. "After what we did?"

"Do I have a _choice_?" Iriana snapped. "That box is hurting Lisa. Get _rid_ of it!"

Will made a curt gesture and Alicia stepped forward to scoop up the box Janas had possessed. She looked at Will and then picked up the other. Then she darted away.

"I am taking Lisa back to the tower." Iriana said flatly. "Don't try and stop me."

"Healer…" Mori of all people said softly. "Moving her may hurt her."

"Why should I trust you?" Iriana demanded.

"Because Mori and Olim were the only voices of sanity in all the entire mess in the throne room." Eliza said quietly, not moving. "They didn't –couldn't- contradict me and Karl in public. They did not interfere or aid our stupidity. After? Mori and others were… um… vocal to me about my… ah…" She shrugged. "What was your term, Mori? 'Inexcusable actions'?" Mori did not move and Eliza nodded. "And that was what they were. I am supposed to be held to a higher standard. A tighter grip of ethics. I have tried to be. I have not always succeeded." Iriana raised an eyebrow and Eliza nodded. "Whatever the girl chooses, I will abide by."

"I don't want your life." Lisa croaked. Iriana gave a cry and knelt down beside her. "Ow, my head…" She groaned.

"You heard?" Iriana asked when no one else did.

"I could hear everything." Lisa said weakly. "Just… couldn't _do_ anything."

"That is… evil." Iriana said, checking the scans of the girl once more. "Now?"

"I don't know." Lisa said with a soft sound of pain. "Still hurts, but… I can talk at least. Didn't mean to run off, Healer. I… It felt like I was being pulled." Iriana patted her shoulder.

"It's okay, Lisa." The Healer said kindly. "We will get you back to the tower and figure out what is happening with you. Fix it." She promised.

"I… I need to…" Lisa gasped then relaxed. "It doesn't hurt now." She said with a sigh and fell asleep.

"Iriana…" Will said quietly. "Moving her may cause more harm."

"I am _not_ leaving her to lie on the portal platform." Iriana snapped, her patience fading. "I promised Jasmina I would look after her." She shook her head. "Fine job I am doing of _that_." She said sadly.

"And we can't let _you_ potentially hurt her." Will said reasonably. "We have hurt her enough. Besides, we need to charge the transit system before you can portal from here. That will take a few hours at the very least." He shook his head. "Will you leave her lying on the floor?"

"And putting her on a gurney _won't_ hurt her?" Iriana snapped. She paused as Lisa's hand moved. "Lisa?"

"Healer… It's okay." Lisa said in a dazed voice. "I am… I am…" She sighed and fell asleep again.

"Healer." Eliza said into the silence that fell. "Please?" She begged.

"Keep _them_ away from her." Iriana growled. It was clear she meant Eliza and Janas.

"We will." The Excalibur Prime promised.

* * *

Iriana hadn't moved from the bedside. Lisa still slept, but her sleep was undisturbed. Her face was serene. The scans that the Healer had run and Twee-Kee had corroborated hadn't shown any damage. She didn't have a clue _why_ Lisa was still asleep, but as long as the girl was, Iriana was not leaving Lisa's side. No one had bothered her. Indeed, no one had even tried to speak to her. That was good. She had no idea at all how she would react or…

A soft tone chimed and Iriana jumped. She had dozed! She glanced over at Lisa, but the girl was still out cold. The chime came again and Iriana's eyes narrowed as she looked at the door where a light was pulsing. Someone wanted her? Now? She looked at Twee-Kee and motioned the sentinel to stay with Lisa. It made a soft noise, but did not move as Iriana rose and strode to the door. When it opened, a human male was standing there. He looked at Iriana, then at the girl, then back at Iriana.

"Karen said you wanted to see me, Healer?" Miguel asked quietly.

"I… did." Iriana said, then paused, looking back at Lisa. She shook herself a bit and stepped out before shutting the door. "No offence, Miguel."

"You don't know who to trust." The engineer and general fix it person for the dojo said easily. "Believe me, I understand. I won't be long. What do you need?"

"I need a soldier's perspective." Iriana said slowly. Miguel looked at her and she flushed. "I know you are not one now, but you _were_ one."

"Yes, Ma'am." Miguel said with a nod. "I was. What do you want to know?" Iriana sighed and looked at her feet.

"What does a soldier do when give bad orders?" Iriana asked softly. Miguel inhaled and she nodded. "Yeah."

"I have heard about what happened." Miguel said slowly. "All second hand. Everyone is mad. At Karl, at the one who gave him the orders…" Miguel did not say who and Iriana nodded a little. "You want _my_ perspective?" He asked again.

"Yeah." Iriana said softly.

"I am not a Tenno, Ma'am." Miguel said with a sigh. "I am never going to be. I am not like Karen. Too old and set in my ways. But when I was a soldier, Ma'am… If you are given an order, you carry it out. That is the bare bones basis of military discipline. I don't know exactly what Karl was told…"

"Not enough." Iriana snarled softly. Miguel shook his head sadly and Iriana paused. "What?"

"Ma'am…" Miguel said quietly. "We have had time to think about what happened and why. Yes, it was wrong, what Karl did. No one is saying otherwise. He wouldn't have stepped down as clan leader if he thought it was right." He paused as Iriana gasped. "You didn't know?"

"I… maybe someone told me." Iriana said weakly. "But it didn't sink in until just now. He really doesn't expect to survive this, does he?" Miguel shook his head and Iriana snarled. "Not going to happen. I won't let him." Migeul shrugged and Iriana shook herself. "What if… as a soldier, you had been given bad orders. Orders you knew were bad?"

"Ma'am…" Miguel said with an odd expression. "I was a sergeant. High ranked for a sergeant, but a sergeant. A non-commissioned officer. My job was to maintain discipline, keep the men under me alive and pass on orders given to me by commissioned officers. That was my job. There was never a lot of time to think about orders when bullets started flying."

"But… surely…" Iriana said with a wince.

"Oh, I was given orders I didn't _like_." Miguel said with a matching wince. "But the point was… The trust was there. The enlisted grunts like me trusted the officers to have thought out what to do. The officers trusted us to do what they told us to do. Oh, both groups complained about the other, but grousing is a time honored tradition amongst soldiers. Passes the time you see." He grinned, just a little.

"No, I don't." iriana complained. "If you are given an order that is illegal…" She trailed off as Miguel winced harder. "What?"

"That is different, Ma'am." Miguel said with a nod. "We are supposed to obey orders, but if they wanted unthinking obedience, the brass would have made robots. Well…" He grimaced and Iriana did as well. "Until the Sentients came anyway. We are supposed to _think_ about how to carry out our orders, not why they are given. We rarely have the big picture. And… well…" He shrugged. "Most of the grunts I knew were not rocket scientists, if you know what I mean."

"But if you are given an order that is obviously wrong…" Iriana pleaded. "What then?"

"Ah…" Miguel sighed. "There are avenues for appeal of really bad orders. The problem is… Many times you don't have time to think. Someone is shooting at you and you get the order to shoot back… You don't always look to see what else is in the building with the guys shooting at you." Sudden sadness peeked from his eyes and then was gone. "Or what is behind it." Iriana went stiff for a moment and then nodded.

"So if Karl got orders from someone he trusted…" Iriana said slowly. "He would do them even if he disagreed."

"From what I understand, he argued." Miguel said with a nod. "But he took the orders and carried them out to the best of his ability. He was trying to figure out what was wrong. No one but that nutcase who hurt the girl…" There was no way Miguel was faking the rage he was suddenly trying to suppress. Not a chance. "…knew what was actually happening. Not Karl. Not… his commander. No one."

"Dust and Jasmina did." Iriana said softly.

"_Did_ they?" Miguel asked. "From what the others have said… Dust went in to kill the one he had sworn to and rescue the people who had been taken. Jasmina went in to help him. The Infested that are different… Not sure, but from what I have heard, _they_ went in for Elenia and Lisa. No one knew what was actually going to happen until Dust got there and the nutcase…" Iriana noted that Miguel did not speak the now deceased Redi's name. She wondered why and then disregarded it. Not important. "…turned on the machine. No one knew what was going to happen."

"Someone had to!" Iriana protested.

"Not necessarily." Miguel said with another shrug. "There is a term called 'Fog of War'. It means you know most of what is going on with your side. But until you get more information, you cannot know what else is happening. On a battlefield or, basically anywhere. Grunts rarely –if ever- saw the whole picture, Ma'am. That is why obeying orders was so important."

"And if you had been given the order?" Iriana asked slowly. "To keep Dust from… the other?"

"I am not a soldier anymore, Ma'am." Miguel said with a downright evil chuckle. "If she had given _me_ that order, I would have told her where she could stick it. Without lube."

"But Karl _is_ a soldier. Or mostly one." Iriana said, suddenly stunned. Miguel nodded and she smiled a bit forlornly. "Thank you."

"Hope I helped." Miguel said as he turned to go.

"You did." Iriana said as she opened the door, but froze as Lisa rose from where she had obviously been listening at the door. "_Lisa_?" She demanded.

"You done being angry?" The girl asked calmly. "If so… We have work to do."


	14. Chapter 14

**Cutting**

"I… Erm…" Iriana sputtered, but Lisa was having none of it as Twee-Kee zooned out to hover by Iriana's shoulder again.

"If you are done having your tantrum, we need to talk to several people." Lisa said calmly. "The acting clan leader in particular."

"_Tantrum?_" Iriana snapped as she fought past her moment of freeze. "I thought you were _sick!_" Miguel had frozen in place as well but now his face creased with a grin. "What are _you_ smiling about?" She demanded.

"Nothing." The former soldier said as he tried to quell his grin and failed. "Always does an old man's heart proud to see smart kids though."

"Healer Iriana…" Lisa said quietly. "Your anger over what was done to me –and you- is quite understandable. But it is getting in the way. Please. Calm down." She begged.

"I…" Iriana swallowed hard and then wilted a bit. "I just… I don't know anymore, Lisa… Everything I thought I knew… I don't…"

"Yes, you do." Lisa said encouragingly. "You are still the brave and noble healer who helped me." She laid a hand on Iriana's arm and gave a squeeze. "But now, we have work to do. Lives to save. Healing to accomplish. Shall we?" Iriana shook her head, but in awe, not negation.

"You _planned_ this…" Iriana said in an amazed voice.

"Well…" Lisa looked a bit sheepish. "I didn't _plan_ on being pulled and knocked out by that awful box. But coming here? Yes."

"_Why_?" Iriana asked, stunned. This was not the girl she knew. Or… not the girl she _thought_ she knew. Miguel chuckled and Iriana glared at him. "_What_?"

"Healer…" Miguel said softly. "How _else_ would she get you here?" Miguel looked at Lisa whose non-expression said much. "And um… what would the… other lady have done if her people detected a transit between the tower and here? They knew you were there, I bet."

"They would have… investigated." Iriana said slowly, comprehension dawning. "I was _bait?_" She demanded crossly.

"No." Lisa said easily. "_I_ was. But _you_ had to be here too." She gave Iriana's arm a squeeze. "Your anger is hurting you, Healer." She said gently. "We won't let you hurt."

"I…" Iriana was suddenly crying. "I… don't…" The floodgates opened completely and she could not stop the rush of tears.

"Easy, healer…" Lisa said, pulling Iriana close. "We need some help." She said to Miguel who nodded and hit his com.

"Iriana?" A worried voice said in moments. Iriana looked up to see Amelia and Brianna both standing nearby with a gurney. Both looked worried. Iriana tried to speak and couldn't. "What is wrong?"

"She is distraught." Lisa said, still holding the crying healer. "Too many shocks. Even for one such as her, too many." She said sadly. "We did what we could, but she buried it all under her duty. She has to let it out. She has to."

"Will she let us help?" Amelia asked as she stepped closer. Brianna remained near the gurney. "I don't know if I would after…such a mess."

"Healer." Lisa said, gently holding Iriana. "It's okay." She soothed the distraught woman both verbally and physically. "It's okay. Easy." But Iriana could not stop crying. "Do you have a mild sedative? She needs something."

"I don't think she will let us." Amelia said as she stepped closer and Iriana went stiff. The human doctor shook her head as she stepped back. "She won't. She doesn't trust us anymore. Can't blame her."

"Trust must be earned, doctor." Lisa said quietly, holding Iriana with one hand and holding out the other. "If it is a hypo, I can do it."

"It's a patch." Amelia said, sidling close as Iriana tensed again. She handed a small object to Lisa who scrutinized it. "A calming agent, not a sedative."

"She may need something stronger." Lisa said a bit dubiously. "But for now… upper arm?"

"The uninjured one." Amelia said with a nod as she stepped back.

Iriana went still as Lisa slapped the thing on her left arm and then the world blurred a bit.

"Healer?" Lisa nearly begged. "Please, come back to us." Iriana tried to speak, but couldn't. Lisa sighed. "It is not enough. Too many emotions, too quickly. Even the best of minds can be overwhelmed by such psychological trauma." Brianna stepped forward a hypo in hand and Iriana gave a small cry, recoiling a bit. But Lisa would not let her go. "Easy, Healer." Lisa said gently, holding on for dear life. "It's okay…" She turned Iriana's head away from the other medics gently. "Do it."

The hiss of the hypo was loud and then Iriana was falling, but…she wasn't. The anger that had been building inside her was suddenly to the fore. She heard raised voices as she lashed out with hands, feet…and teeth.

"_Healer!_" Lisa screamed as Iriana bit down on something and started to flail. "Help!" She called. Iriana felt nothing now, just the white hot anger that now suffused her entire being as…

She was on the floor, Lisa crying at her side. She was staring up at Miguel who was lowering an oddly shaped weapon. She was… Amelia stepped close, another hypo in hand and Iriana tried to recoil, but her body wasn't working as it should. The hypo hissed and this time, Iriana was asleep before she could react.

* * *

"Healer?" The soft, scared voice pulled Iriana out of her dreamless sleep. Lisa was crying. "Please, Healer. Please talk to me." She begged.

"What happened?" Iriana asked, trying to make sense of why she felt so right and so wrong at the same time. She was lying on something soft. She felt… off.

"You had a breakdown." Lisa said with a gulp. "I… I thought we had lost you. It was… I…" Warm wetness was falling on Iriana's face. Someone was crying close to her face. "I am sorry."

"What do you have to be sorry about?" Iriana asked sourly, opening her eyes. She was lying on the bed that Lisa had been on. The chair nearby was familiar. Lisa was lying on the bed beside her, crying. "You were abused far more than I was."

"But I have help." Lisa said softly, hugging Iriana tight. "I am not alone in my mind." Iriana paused, digesting that news. "We planned on my coming here, to talk to Karl's clan. To try and fix some of the mess. But then… When I got here… I collapsed before I could speak. We are pretty sure it was whatever is left of me in the box." She gave a soft cry as Iriana patted her arm. "I couldn't move or speak."

"Control or sedation, I bet." Iriana said with a snarl. "And then?"

"You were so angry." Lisa said sadly. "So furious. You scared me." She said with a sigh. "You really did." Iriana paused in her immediate reply. This wasn't the strong and capable girl she knew mostly. No, this was a hurt and scared child talking.

"Lisa?" Iriana asked slowly. "How many people are in your head?"

"I haven't been alone since I woke up in that awful machine." Lisa said with a shiver. Iriana stared at her and Lisa sighed. "I know it isn't…normal… but it kept me sane."

"No needs normal?" Iriana asked softly, hugging the girl close. "I am sorry I scared you. I broke down." She said clinically. "Like you said, too many stresses. Did I hurt you?" She asked quietly. "Or the baby?"

"Not really and what you did was easy to fix." Lisa said with a chuckle. She showed Iriana her hand where a bandage was visible."The others were…a bit upset to find out that I was expecting. They wanted me in medical. I wasn't going to leave you though."

"Good." Iriana said gratefully. Then she took a deep breath. "Thank you, Lisa." Iriana said with a nod. "And you are right. It is time to cut past my anger, into the heart of this infection." She sat up, bringing Lisa with her. "We have enough problems without Tenno killing each other or themselves."

"What now, Healer?" Lisa asked quietly.

"Now we heal." Iriana replied, then stared down at herself. She was filthy. "But first…a shower."

* * *

Iriana felt odd. The garment she was wearing mimicked a Tenno bodysuit almost perfectly. But it was part of her. Just like the forearm that was extending under the cap that was now halfway down between her elbow and wrist. The bandages on her scalp as well were organic, not the bioplastic that Tenno medics used, but actual living flesh. Small wonder that the tower systems of the Mercury tower had been so fascinated by the living tech. Iriana was as well. But right now, she had bigger concerns. Will was… unhappy.

"I cannot believe you took such a risk." The male Tenno said sternly. "Coming here? _Pregnant_? Do you have _any_ idea at all what would happen if you got shot, even accidentally?"

"Yes, I do." Lisa replied, her calm a salve for the tension that had been rising since she and Iriana had entered the small secure room that seemed packed to overflowing. "The arguments for and against me coming were…strenuous. But we did achieve consensus, if by a very small margin."

"You are… still in contact?" Alicia asked, her face remote. Lisa nodded. "Even with the doors sealed and the shields full?"

"I don't know how, Tenno Alicia." Lisa said calmly. "But yes. They are… upset with me for acting so precipitously. Jasmina is cursing up a storm for letting Iriana bite me." Iriana winced, but Lisa just smiled sadly. "No one blames you, Healer."

"I do." Iriana said softly, but then she shook herself. "That is neither here nor there. We have a contorted problem here. I am going to fix it."

"You are." Will's posture declared the disbelief he was trying not to voice. None of the Tenno wore warframes, and only one was armed. Aeron kept a steady bead on Janas who hadn't moved since being brought in.

"It is what medics do, Tenno Will." Iriana said formally. More than one in the room winced at her stilted and overly formal bearing, but no one was about to say anything. "We see a problem and we fix it. This one is… a tangled knot of duty, honor, loyalty and madness."

"I accept responsibility." Eliza said softly into the silence that fell.

"I don't care." Iriana said coldly. More than one person inhaled sharply, but Iriana was not done. "Yes, you screwed up. Yes, Karl screwed up. You claiming responsibility or not has no bearing at all on what must be done. I know who you are and you cannot go to the Elders and let them execute you."

"I am ready to do just that." Eliza said, still quiet.

"And leave your daughter to rule alone?" Iriana snapped. "Is she _ready_ to rule?"

"No." Eliza admitted. "But neither was I. She will adapt and we need to end this schism."

"Not with your death or Karl's." Iriana said flatly. "There has been enough death." Lisa nodded minutely and Iriana turned to her. "The mass mind agrees?"

"Yes." Lisa said with a firmer nod. "And the Caretakers. Vengeance won't bring Dust back to life." Something about her phrasing bother Iriana for a moment, but she shook her head as Lisa continued. "We may only be a percentage of a tithe of the Infested in this system, but we _do_ live here. If we can live in peace? So much the better." The tension in the room dissipated further and Lisa smiled. "See? We can get along."

"Under strictly controlled circumstances." Will said, but he was not arguing. "What about the Grineer and Corpus?"

"There are limits to the mind mass' tolerance." Lisa said, her smile turning frosty. "They pass them."

"Good to know." Will said with a nod to Lisa. Then he turned to Iriana. "Okay, Healer. You have the floor."

"The physical damage has been done and cannot be undone." Iriana said with a sigh. "But the emotional, spiritual…" She shook her head. "Morale is a vital concern when facing overwhelming enemies such as the Grineer, Corpus and feral Infested." She slumped a bit. "We are all angry. I think… mostly with ourselves." All of the others in the room looked at her. "We need to untangle this knot. Only then can we start to heal as a whole."

"I don't see how." Eliza said softly. 'Not if you are not willing to serve me up as a scapegoat."

"Begging your pardon Ma'am…" Iriana said, her tone turning just as frosty as Lisa's had been. "And with all due respect, put a _cork_ in it. I am not going to let you die. So if all you have to say is how sorry you are or how you are willing to sacrifice yourself, please shut up." More than one person blanched at her totally matter of fact delivery, but Eliza…smiled.

"Yes, Ma'am." The Empress of Orokin said calmly. All of the others stared at her and she shrugged. "Do you have any idea how often I have wanted someone to tell me, to my _face_, that I was being an idiot? Do you have _any_ idea how _rare_ that is outside of Tenno?" She shook her head. Iriana glared at her and she shrugged and closed her mouth. Miguel was grinning form the corner and Iriana glanced at him. He… saluted her!

"Don't _start!_" Iriana said grumpily. "Just… just don't."

"Start what, Ma'am?" Miguel asked in a guileless tone that was utterly at odds with the twinkle in his eyes. Iriana just waved irritably at him and he dropped the salute.

"Good thing I am not a soldier." Iriana said with a glower that slid right off the old soldier like water off a duck's back. "I think that would be construed as insubordination. Disrespect at the very least." She paused as Miguel shook his head.

"No, Ma'am." Miguel said with a shrug. "Technically, from what I recall, Healers outrank _everybody_. I remember generals saluting them, Ma'am." He said when she paused, her mouth hanging open. "And don't talk to me about respect, Ma'am. If there is _anyone_ here who has earned a salute, it's you." More than one murmur of assent marked the soldier's calm words.

"I…" Iriana felt her eyes start to burn and took a moment to compose herself. She shook herself. "Very well. We have… some problems. First and foremost to my mind are the relics from the monster's research. The boxes with brain matter in them. They must be destroyed."

"Iriana…" Alicia said with a wince. "That box may be all that is left of Dust. Wouldn't Jasmina want it?" All eyes turned to Lisa who shook her head.

"Caretaker Jasmina says that she has her memories." Lisa said in a sad voice. "She needs no physical reminder. Even if we could trust anything that the monster had the workings of. Which we cannot."

"Good point." Iriana agreed. "The sooner the better."

"Do you want to watch?" Will asked calmly.

"It's not that I don't trust your word, Will." Iriana said softly. "But this horror must end and I need to be the one to do it."

"We can handle that." Will said with a nod. "As soon as we are done here, Miguel and Ric will rig the boxes with plasma charges and give you the detonator. We will make sure you can watch."

"Are you going to be okay?" Amelia asked Lisa who shrugged.

"Proximity seems to increase the effect." Lisa said with a sigh. "it hurts, but I can handle it. After that? Healer?"

"After that, we need to find Karl and stop him before he faces the Elders." Iriana said with a nod. More than one of the Tenno looked worried and she nodded. "I know it is a tall order. The big lunk disappears like nobody's business. But I have some words I want to send his way and I can't do that if he is dead. For the record, I do not want him dead."

"Neither does Jasmina." Lisa said with a nod. All of the others looked at her and Lisa winced a bit. "She is angry. Who wouldn't be? But she doesn't not want him dead."

"Okay, so we find Karl." Iriana said, ticking points off on her fingers. "Convince him to talk to us…" More of one of the Tenno present winced at that. "…convince him not to kill himself, then talk to the Elders." The other stared at her and Iriana sighed. "We cannot sweep this under the rug. It is not going to happen. Not after all of this."

"I agree." Eliza said with a nod. Iriana glared at her and the Empress shrugged. "One way or another, this secrecy must end. I refuse to sacrifice Karl as I have sacrificed so many others. For nothing."

"What?" Iriana demanded, still somewhat upset by the Empress.

"Healer… How many times have you watched catastrophe unfold, knowing you could have stopped it, done _something_, but did not?" Eliza said slowly. "Hindsight is one thing, but when you have all the information and do not act…?" She shook her head. "I am far guiltier than you know. _That_ is why I left the crown with Michelle, despite Chirurgeon's reservations as to her being linked to Infested." Lisa jerked and Eliza smiled. No one sane would have called it happy. "How else did Jasmina find you just before Karl did? We had the only information available on your whereabouts, Healer. But she beat us there. As you say, we have a tangled mess here. I am here to help untangle it. Any way I can."

"I think I will hold you to that." Iriana said slowly, but paused as Lisa made a noise somewhere between a snort and a laugh. "Lisa?"

"Jasmina just made a comment to me about knots." Lisa said slowly. "How many of you Tenno present know what the 'Gordian Knot' was?" Several people looked blank, but Miguel, Ric, Will and Eliza all visibly tensed.

"'Gordian Knot'?" Iriana asked slowly. "What does that mean?"

"Early in his career, Alexander of Macedonia, commonly called Alexander the Great, was confronted by an insurmountable problem." Lisa said slowly. "A knot of such complexity and size that no man could figure out how to unravel it. The legend was hotly disputed, as most legends were."

"What happened?" Amelia asked for everyone.

"When asked to undo the binding, Alexander drew his sword and cut it apart." Lisa said quietly. "He 'cut the Gordian Knot'."

"He cut it?" Amelia asked, dumbfounded. "Why?" But then Iriana started to laugh.

"He thought outside the box…" Iriana said with a smile. "And so will we. Tradition here may be our enemy, but…" Her smile turned wicked.

"Healers also know how to cut."


	15. Chapter 15

**Diagnosis**

"You want to do _what_?" The exclamation came from Will and Alicia simultaneously as Iriana stood, waiting impatiently. Some of the clan wore warframes now, but only one was armed. Aeron wasn't aiming at Janas. He was ready, but not –quite- aiming. Janas hadn't as much a flinched, just trailed along behind Eliza like a beaten dog. Part of the reason was that Olim stood nearby in his Frost Prime and he didn't _need_ a weapon. Cyberlancers _were_ weapons.

Ric and Miguel had rigged the horrible boxes with explosives and now, Ric was retreating from the airlock where he had placed the charge and the remnants of evil. Lisa was gasping against the wall nearby, Amelia tending her as Iriana watched Ric. Iriana hadn't taken her eyes off the tiny boxes as they had been brought out of wherever they had been stashed. As soon as they had, Lisa had groaned and the medics had started clucking over her.

"Karl knows stealth as well as any Tenno." Iriana said mildly, watching as Ric shut the airlock and started her way, a small object in hand. "Finding him will be very, very difficult, if possible at all." Will grimaced slightly, but nodded. Iriana looked at him, her eyes narrow. "You okay?"

"No." Will said with a shake of his head. "I don't know how Karl did it. Being responsible for myself or a small team is bad enough. Being responsible for everything the clan does?" He shrugged. "I won't fail the duty he gave me. It's just…" He trailed off as Iriana nodded.

"I understand." Iriana said sadly. "I was happy just being a tech. Mishka was as much of a handful as I wanted. My equipment and the mental stability of myself and my patients was all that mattered. Mavri didn't tell me going in what a burden being a Healer would be. If he had, I probably would have still taken the job, but…" Now _she_ shrugged. "I doubt I would have been so blasé about it."

"Yes." Alicia said quietly. She hadn't said more than five words since the talk with everyone in the secure room. She couldn't seem to look Iriana in the eye, instead her eyes kept tracking to the prosthesis. Iriana turned to her and Alicia seemed to wilt.

"Stop that." Iriana's soft words were clear and Alicia seemed to freeze. "What happened when you tried to snatch me was not your fault. Stop blaming yourself. I don't blame you. My decision to jump was just that, _my_ decision. You are head medic for this clan. Act it." She said sternly.

"I…" Alicia shook herself and she grinned a bit self-consciously. "If I don't, you will kick me until I do, won't you?"

"Politely." Iriana said with a matching grin. But then Ric walked up and held out a small device to her. She stared at it. In form, it was a simple box with a small black button on it. She took it gingerly and the male Tenno smiled.

"It's not the Black Beast of Aaaargh." Ric said with a smirk as Iriana growled at him. "Airlock is vented. Mass has cleared the dojo. You don't even need to count to three. Just press the button."

"Lisa?" Iriana said, turning to the girl. "Do you…?" She broke off as Lisa groaned.

"Just _do_ it!" Lisa snapped, her normal good humor vanishing in the pain she was experiencing. Iriana nodded and clicked the button. The small observation window of the airlock lit up and Lisa uncoiled from where she had been leaning, nodding to both Brianna and Amelia who were hovering close. "Sorry… Sorry… That _really_ hurt."

"How do you feel now?" Amelia asked, her scanner whirring. The clan medics were careful to keep the scans to levels that they knew wouldn't cause problems. Iriana remembered what had happened when Lisa had been exposed to high power scanners while wearing one of the garments that she and Lisa now wore. It… hadn't been pretty.

"Better." Lisa said with a heartfelt sigh. "That really, really sucked, but the pain has vanished."

"Why would it hurt?" Will asked after a moment. "That doesn't make any sense to me."

"Little of what the monster did makes any sense." Lisa replied with a shrug. "Some of it was clearly for control purposes. Pain works well to generate control after all in most people. But the rest? No one has been able to figure out." The girl smiled at Iriana. "But now that the remnant is gone, the pain is too."

"Are we sure that is the only remnant?" Two asked. She had been quiet for some time, her face impassive. But her stance was ready. For what? Iriana had no idea and she doubted Two did either. All eyes turned to the side where Eliza stood with Mori and Janas

"As far as anyone has been able to determine…" Eliza said quietly. "That was the only sample left." Iriana arched an eyebrow at her and Eliza shrugged. "We went through the files and other materials that were left with care. There were… not a lot of files pertaining to your injury, Miss Lisa." She said, nodding to Lisa who remained silent. "What we _did_ find was damning."

"So…" Iriana said as she gave herself a shake. "That is done. Next we find Karl."

"Easier said than done." Two replied quietly. Iriana looked at her and Two flushed a bit. "I know I am speaking the obvious, but I have been trying to think of how to find him. Nothing comes to mind. If he doesn't want to be found, he _won't_ be." Karl was very good at keeping low profile. It came from years -centuries- of fighting alone.

"I had a thought on that actually." Iriana said with a nod. "But I need to talk to Olim alone first."

"I am at your service." The Frost Prime said formally. Mori moved to stand beside him and Olim shook his head. "She won't bite me, Mori." He said, only partly amused.

"I might be able to help." Mori said quietly, she wore her Saryn. It… didn't bother Iriana having the Royal Guardswoman armed and ready. For some reason, it made Iriana feel better, even though it shouldn't have. "If you have no objections, Healer?"

"I don't." Iriana replied evenly. "Lisa?" She said, looking at the gil who made face and waved for her to go.

"Go on, Healer." Lisa said with a grin. "They won't eat me."

"She would taste terrible." Amelia said with a grin that Iriana shared.

Iriana stepped forwards, patted Lisa's shoulder and then stepped to where Olim and Mori waited. The two warframes started off, Iriana following. Olim led the trip to an empty room, waited for the others to enter and then shut the door.

"What do you need, Healer?" Olim asked calmly.

"I am not sure." Iriana admitted. "I am not even sure this is possible, but… the limits of what I thought were possible have been strained recently."

"Tell me what you want and I will say if I can do it or not." Olim replied. He was a far cry from the angry overly impulsive Ash she had known, she noted. "I can't promise that I can do it, but I will do what I can."

"I know you will." Iriana said sadly. "You are Mori apparently were the sole voices of sanity in this whole mess."

"Orders may be orders." Mori said softly. "But the First never told us to follow orders blindly. I…was swayed a bit as well. The need was there." She admitted sadly. "The lure of an end to the Infested threat drew me."

"Me too." Olim admitted. "Everyone knew something was wrong. No one had a clue how bad."

"You mentioned the First." Iriana said softly. Mori looked at her and Iriana nodded. "While I was in Jasmina's care… I was pulled into a virtual world. An odd human –or a being who _looked_ human- was there. He wore what looked kind of like a warframe, but wasn't one." Both Olim and Mori tensed. "I was angry. Furious actually, but he let me talk to Mishka, Sara and Serene." Both of the other Tenno were staring at her now.

"Are you saying… you talked to the shade of _Hayden Tenno_…?" Mori asked carefully.

"I think so." Iriana said quietly. "He mentioned that he had found Karl before he found me." At _that_, both warframes went stock still and Iriana nodded. "I bet he knows where Karl is."

"Ah… no disrespect intended…" Olim said slowly. "But how do you intend to get that information from him?"

"I plan to ask."

* * *

**Out of Time and Space**

Iriana materialized on an odd plane, nowhere she had ever been in her life. Or at least, now here she remembered ever being. She was standing on a surface composed of golden lines of computer code. It was… beautiful. It seemed endless. But Olim's warnings sounded in her ears.

'You cannot trust anything you see in there, Healer. They control every aspect of the world, from light to gravity and everything in between.'

The Cyberlancer had been dead set against letting Iriana carry out her plan. On the surface it was simple. Enter the virtual world that the shades of Orokin dwelt in and find the shade of the First. But it was incredibly dangerous. Normal minds held a great deal of power, enough to swat the unwary who poked too deeply into them. Orokin virtual avatars of dead people? Ah…

A scream rent the air and Iriana ducked down as something flew through the air nearby. Whatever it was, it wasn't human or humanoid. It had wings and scales and… Iriana reacted as it flew back towards her, talons extended. Her short Skana was in hand quick as thought. But against such long teeth and…

"Hello." The thing said as it lighted in front of her, obviously not worried at all about her short sword. Of course, it's clawed hands were nearly the length of daggers themselves. "What is this? A new player?"

"An observer." Iriana said quickly. "I am not a player." She had been warned a great deal about that.

"Aw poo." The form shifted and suddenly, it was a human female in a golden bodysuit. "It's been so long since we had any new players. Everything gets so stale. Everyone knows everyone else's tricks and strategies." She sounded so… sad.

"I am looking for someone." Iriana said, not lowering her guard.

"You have found someone." The woman said, squatting on her heels. "I am Mika. You?"

"Just a traveler." Iriana replied, her eyes roving the area. "I need to find the one I seek. I will be going."

"I don't think so." The one that called herself Mika said with a feral smile. She reached for Iriana, but hissed and recoiled as golden code appeared around the Healer. "What the? What _are_ you?" The odd being demanded.

"She is not for you." A stern voice sounded and Iriana went still as a warframe appeared nearby. In form it was a Trinity, but… It had gold in places. A Prime! A Trinity Prime! "_Begone_." The Trinity commanded.

"You do not command me, Tenno." The odd being said, the form changing back into the winged beast. But it was wary.

"I don't need to command you." The Trinity said sternly. "You overstep yourself, threatening a guest. How many resources are you willing to lose in penalty? Hmmm?" She asked snidely as the winged horror retreated a bit. A Boar Prime shotgun simply appeared in the Trinity's hands. "I won't ask again." She said, her tone turning calm and serene.

"I won't forget this, Tenno!" The winged being said with a growl and then was airborne and away. Iriana did not relax and the Trinity nodded approvingly.

"They all said you had guts and a remarkable lack of sense when people were hurting." The Trinity said with a shrug as her shotgun vanished. "I see they were right."

"I can't argue with that." Iriana said as she sheathed her Skana. "But my kin need help. I am available and will help them." She did not take her hand form the handle of the blade however and the Trinity nodded with even more approval.

"What do you seek here, Healer Iriana?" Trinity asked quietly. "You cannot stay here long. The players of the Game will find you and use you. We can intimidate them away, but we cannot harm them. It is forbidden."

"I spoke to one before who said he had spoken to Karl." Iriana said with a nod. "I need to find Karl, quickly."

"Healer." The Trinity said sadly. "We cannot interfere. We are dead. Shades of the past, nothing more."

"But you_ have_!" Iriana said with a snarl. "So many times. You have talked to people. That is all I ask. Information."

"Healer." Trinity said mildly. "Information is the _single_ most precious commodity in this place. It is all that they have, all that they desire. All that they _are_ now. The dead have no need for anything more. The game is all they have now. All they are."

"Are you dead?" Iriana asked softly. "Are you _really_?"

"Healer…" Trinity said sadly. "I remember the blast that claimed my life. I remember the flash of pain, the sickening feeling of seeing my body fall in pieces. Then here. I am dead."

"But not gone." Iriana said softly. Trinity stiffened.

"You cannot help us, Healer." Trinity said slowly. "No one can. This is… what so many in Orokin desired. To transcend their mortal shells. To evolve."

"You didn't." Iriana said with dawning horror. "They pulled you here, didn't they?"

"You have to leave now, Healer." Trinity said quietly.

"Please…" Iriana said slowly when the Trinity would have touched her. "I need to know one thing. Is Mari their plaything too?" Trinity shook her head and Iriana smiled. "Thank you." As the Trinity touched her, a jolt of electricity hit Iriana and she jerked. Then…

* * *

"Ow." Iriana complained as she opened her eyes. "How long?" She asked Olim and Mori who were both watching her carefully as she sat up on the floor of the room they had been in.

"One minute twenty seconds." Olim replied. Iriana remained still as power swept over her. The last thing she wanted was a hitchhiker, Orokin of no. "You are clean." He declared and she relaxed. "Any luck?"

"No." Iriana said with a sigh. "I know they are the Guardians of the Game. That they are not allowed to interfere in the real world." Olim coughed and Iriana smiled. 'Yes, yes, I know that Tenno as a whole follow their hearts and instincts rather than the rules, but still…" She massaged her arm gently, it was numb.

"What happened?" Mori asked, kneeling beside her.

"I shouldn't speak of it." Iriana said with a grimace. "It was a dumb idea anyway. Every time they have pulled people in, it has been into pockets of the virtual world, not the main game space." Mori didn't move and Iriana sighed. "One of the guardians appeared and told me to leave." She massaged her arm again. "She touched me and it felt like getting shocked."

"Shocked?" Olim asked, kneeling beside Iriana as well. "That… isn't supposed to happen." He laid a hand on her numb arm. "This arm?"

"Yeah." Iriana said with a sigh then she gasped as his touch seemed to reignite the nerves. "Ow! What?"

"Something shocked you." Olim said, concerned. "We better get you to Medical. That isn't normal, even for energy forms."

"There is… something odd about this damage." A female voice said and Iriana went still as Riana spoke. The AI was fairly shy at times, especially around Tenno. Iriana had only heard Olim's sister speak once before. "It's… very strange, this sequence."

"A sequence?" Iriana asked, staring at her arm. "What kind?"

"I am not sure." Riana said, somewhat dubious. "It's... almost… musical? Or harmonic at least."

"Does it say anything?" Iriana asked with a laugh that fell flat. Both Tenno were staring at her. "What?"

"What did the Guardian look like?" Olim asked, thoughtful.

"It was a Trinity." Iriana said with a sigh. "Odd that a medic would harm me, but she wasn't happy with me being there."

"Iriana…" Olim said gently. "She could have fried every synapse in your skull without trying. The sheer power they have available is mind blowing. Literally." He said dryly. But then he paused. "She could have sent you back with a thought. Why _touch_ you? And why _hurt_ you when she did? She didn't need to."

"I don't know." Iriana said with a wince. "Better get to Medical."

"Hold on." Olim said gently as he scooped her up and carried her.

"I can walk!" Iriana snapped as they two warframes started off quickly. "At least Twee-kee isn't here to mope." She said as the two Tenno nearly ran. "Wait…" She said with a pause. "Where is that sentinel?"

"It demanded a means of protecting you." Olim replied easily as the two Tenno entered Medical. "Miguel is handling that."

"I won't have my… ow…" Iriana bit back a cry as she was jostled. "Careful."

"I need some help!" Olim cried as he came into the bay. "Iriana Is hurt!"

Several tense minutes later, Iriana was laid out on an exam bed as Amelia, Brianna and Alicia all worked on her arm.

"What happened?" Alicia finally said, stepping back. "According to our diagnosis, your arm looks like it took a direct hit from a Volt."

"A Volt?" Iriana said and then her eyes went wide.

"Artus."


	16. Chapter 16

Some people were confused by the last chapter. Iriana had a brainstorm after Trinity shocked her. After all, the only Volt she trusts now is Artus.

* * *

**Meetings**

"You look better."

Iriana looked up from her work to see a Volt enter the small room she had been given. She…hadn't felt right staying at the dojo, so she and Lisa had returned to the Tower. The tower was fascinated with Lisa who returned the fascination manifold. Lisa spent her time asking questions that the Tower systems responded to with ever growing eagerness. Iriana had been working to catch up on some of the paperwork that had grown exponentially in her absence. Artus looked as he always did, a dark brown Volt warframe. But his posture was… guarded.

"Is it the clothes?" Iriana asked slowly. "Or something else?" The garment that Iriana wore was fascinating. A living organism in and of itself, it had developed a symbiotic relationship with Iriana and she was doubtful of it's chances to survive if removed from her. The garment that the Tenno doctors had removed from Lisa while she had been feral had died very quickly once separated.

"Part is the garment." Artus admitted. "But… Pat and the others?" He asked.

"Out of danger for now." Iriana replied with a nod. "Normal communication is impossible, since we have no real idea where they are. But Lisa has been giving me status reports. Apparently Pat and Jal have become an item." She said with a smile.

"They deserve it if anyone does." Artus said with a nod. "You wanted to see me?"

"I am going to cut right to the chase, Artus." Iriana said with a sigh. "You have never liked anything that smacked of beating around the bush. Do you know where Karl is?"

"I do." Artus said without any preamble.

"I need to talk to him." Iriana said with a nod. "As soon as possible."

"That would be…problematic." Artus replied. "He is in seclusion. Just getting to him would be hard enough. Getting him to _talk_?" The Volt shook his head. "You are stubborn, I will give you that, Healer. _That_ stubborn?"

"I don't want him dead, Artus." Iriana said quietly. "And I think Lisa and I are the only ones who can stop him. If he goes before the Elders unprepared…"

"Healer." Artus cut her off gently. "He_ is_ prepared. Karl is what he is. A Warrior. So he lived, so he will die."

"But _not_ because of me." Iriana said flatly. "Will you help me?"

"Healer…" Artus groaned. "You have no idea what you are asking me to do."

"I am asking you to get me to Karl so I can beat some sense into his thick Tenno Warrior skull." Iriana said calmly. "Anywhere he secluded himself has to be near inaccessible."

"Try _totally_." Artus said with a wince. "There are places even Warriors do not go normally, Healer." Iriana stiffened and Artus nodded. "Don't get me wrong. I dislike what happened. I… talked to him some before he went into full seclusion. But he understands honor and responsibility. The _only_ person who might have been able to get through to him…" Artus sighed. "…was Dust. But Dust died. More than died. He is gone completely. None of the Guardians of the Dead have been able to find any fragment of him. Dust is gone and Karl is responsible. He owes his brother a life. He will pay that debt."

"What about Jasmina?" Iriana nearly begged. "I _might_ be able to get her. Maybe." She qualified.

"Healer." Artus said, still gentle. "Jasmina is alive. Dust isn't." The Volt's voice turned sad. "He owes her, yes. But not nearly as much."

"This isn't right." Iriana said sharply. "Karl knows better than to be a coward." She was not expecting the Volt to snarl.

"A _coward_?" Artus snapped, his gentleness fled. "Do you have _any_ idea what that Tenno has gone through? _Why_?" Iriana recoiled even though Artus did not move. "He _hunted_ and _killed_ his friends, his _clanmates_ who went rogue. He killed his own _brother_! He walked _alone_ for so long that it was a wonder he stayed sane. The _only_ thing that kept him that way was his devotion to his duty."

"Stopping Nicholas." Iriana said softly and Artus nodded.

"There is an old Earth saying…" The Warrior said, calming. "'Do not judge a man until you have walked in his shoes'. We haven't. We can't."

"Artus…" Iriana pleaded. "He was and is my friend. I can't let him die without at least trying."

"Healer." Artus said slowly. "I cannot take you to him. Where he is _defines_ dangerous even for Tenno in warframes. I will _not_ place you in such danger."

"Is he trying to suicide _before_ facing the Elders?" Iriana asked, eyes wide.

"No." Artus replied. "He just wants privacy. I… can't say I blame him. There is a lot of wild talk circulating amongst the kin currently. All kinds of rumors. One says he killed you."

"He didn't." Iriana snapped. "I nearly killed myself for what it is worth, which is precious little now. Artus, I need to talk to him." Artus was shaking his head, but Iriana wasn't done. "_Before_ he faces the Elders. We need him. The Tenno as a whole need him. I won't let him kill himself out of wounded pride when we need him so badly."

"Healer…" Artus said quietly. "You don't understand. It's not pride. He messed up and he cannot, not _will_ not, but _can_not fix his mistake. He has thought about this, from many different angles. He chose this path and… I cannot say it is the wrong one."

"I _can_!" Iriana nearly screamed. "It wasn't his fault, it was…" She broke off suddenly and Artus nodded.

"I know who gave him the orders, Ma'am." Artus said and Iriana's eyes went huge. "And no, I won't say. He was swayed by the need to handle the Infested problem. I would have been too." The Volt admitted.

"He… told _you_..?" Iriana said, trying to wrap her mind around that.

"No, he didn't." Artus replied, his tone odd. Almost reverent. "The shade of the First One did."

"Oh." Iriana said intelligently. "I see." She slumped in place. "Artus…" She begged. "Please?"

"Healer, I don't see it doing any good." Artus said, his tone sad. "He made up his mind when he left his clan."

"Is there _no one_ who could change it?" Iriana pleaded, getting desperate. "Yes, he messed up, but this isn't ancient Japan for goodness sakes! He doesn't have to expunge his dishonor with his own blood!"

"It isn't just that." Artus' voice was very sad now. "He doesn't trust his own judgment anymore." Iriana slumped at that, stunned.

"Then he needs help." Iriana said softly, nearly to herself.

"Excuse me?" Artus asked, confused. "Help with what?"

"Artus…" Iriana said quietly. "Do Tenno never fail?"

"You know we do." Artus replied without heat, but his posture was tense again. "Karl failed Dust. This is the worst kind of dispute between Tenno. Ordinarily, the two parties in dispute would meet to settle their differences, sometimes before a neutral party if the dispute is contentious enough. But in this case…" He shrugged helplessly. "He cannot make it up to Dust."

"I think he can." Iriana said softly, thinking hard. Artus looked at her and she nodded. "Lisa has stood as a surrogate for Dust and Jasmina's child." Artus actually recoiled at that and Iriana nodded. "Dust may be gone, but there is hope for the future."

"I… see…" Artus said, dazed by the revelation. "Is she okay? I heard she went to Karl's dojo and… there were problems."

"There were." Iriana said flatly. "But none due to Karl's people. She is fine, the baby is fine." Iriana reassured the Volt who nodded slowly.

"I… I can try to talk to him." Artus said softly. "Or… maybe I can talk to someone who can. I can't get to where he is myself." Iriana's eyes went wider and Artus nodded. "He really wanted privacy and he got it. But…" He appended when Iriana gave a small cry and slumped. "I can talk to someone who might be able to get there. Who might be able to kick some sense into Karl. If I have your permission to speak of Dust and Jasmina's child. That may be the only thing that might work to save this situation. A chance to atone."

"I will have to ask Lisa." Iriana temporized. She trusted Artus as much as she trusted any Tenno, but her trust had been battered. "How soon can you talk to this person? Or should I talk to him or her?"

"The person I need to contact won't talk to you." Artus said flatly. "No offense, healer, but that person has lived paranoia for a long, long time. As paranoid as Karl or his clan might be? This person is far more so. Privacy is a rarity in our world, Healer."

"Can you at least give me a name?" iriana pleaded.

"Not without permission." Artus said sadly. "You do _not_ want to _know_ what that person would do to me if I violated that person's privacy. You do _not_ want to _know_." He repeated forcefully.

"Can you talk to this person?" Iriana asked finally. "Whatever this person needs, if I can provide it, I will."

"I will do what I can." He bowed to Iriana and left the room, leaving the Healer to stare after him before returning to her paperwork, her thoughts confused.

* * *

"She wants _what_?" The irate Nekros demanded.

"She wants to talk to you, Nikis." Artus said quietly, not moving from where he knelt. He felt…wrong without his weapons, but Nikis was a stickler for propriety. And… Since the Nekros was by far the single most dangerous being that Artus had ever met… He always did as Nikis demanded. Safer that way.

"She really thinks she can dissuade Karl from his chosen path?" Nikis asked, his voice speculative. "From what I have heard of her, she is a stubborn one, but…" He shook his head. "Rock will give before Karl does."

"Rock can be worn down." Artus said diffidently. "You taught me that."

"Don't try to flatter me, boy." Nikis growled. "I taught a lot of Tenno brats over the millennia. Half of the time, no one bothered to remember the basics. And where are they now? _Dead_, most of them."

"Not all." Artus replied evenly. "You knew Jasmina and Dust, didn't you?" he asked suddenly, playing a hunch. Nikis just looked at him and Artus shrugged. "They had a kid."

"_What did you say?_" Nikis rarely shouted. When he did… The fury that dwelt within his battered warframe was…impressive to say the least. The ancient Nekros paused and then spoke more normally. "You _better_ not be lying to me, boy." He warned.

"Master." Artus said formally. "Would I dare?" He asked. Nikis stared at him for a moment and then sighed, relaxing.

"Some would." Nikis said softly, more to himself than to Artus. "Not many. But some would. Karl would, if he thought his honor demanded it. Yes." He said finally. "You would if you thought it needed. Is it?" He asked in a whisper soft voice. A silky, deadly voice.

"No." Artus replied, trying to still his beating heart. Nikis played the doddering old fool so well it was very easy to forget who and _what_ he was. But every so often, one was reminded. "In this case, the truth is far more powerful. I talked to Iriana. Then I asked the tower systems for the girl's bio scans. I have them." He offered. The Tower had been curious why he had wanted the scans, but hadn't tried to protest.

"Would Iriana lie?" Nikis asked slowly.

"To save a life?" Artus replied with a question. "In a heartbeat. But the girl _is_ expecting. As for it being Jasmina and Dust's?" He shrugged. "I don't know."

"You are making my life hard, Artus." Nikis said looking at the wall. "I like my solitude and the moment I poke my head out, people are going to be trying to find the guru again."

"And as soon as they do find you, you will kick them in the butt and tell them to go do something worthwhile with their lives." Artus said with a laugh. Nikis spun to glare at him but Artus just chuckled more. "You _know_ you would. Hell. That is what you told _me_."

"Yeah, but _you_ kept coming back." Nikis said with a sigh. "_Years_, you kept coming back. The only ones who pushed my patience that hard were Serene, Karl, Jasmina and that one who called himself Excalibur. All Tenno are stubborn, but you guys..." The Nekros shook his head.

"He calls himself his original name now. Will." Artus agreed. "We are _all_ stubborn."

"Well, of course." Nikis said sourly. "You are Tenno, even Will. What _else_ would you be?"

"Something worse?" Artus joked and then froze as Nikis growled.

"Don't push me, boy." Nikis said even more sourly.

"Did you know Dust?" Artus dared to ask.

"Yeah." Nikis' answer was nearly inaudible. "I did."

"I…uh…" Artus stammered. "…it is none of my business."

"Dustin was a lot older than he let on." Nikis said sadly. "Far, far older. We don't age in warframes. He was… a good Tenno." Nikis bowed his head a little.

"_Dustin?_" Artus asked, concerned. "I was talking about Dust."

"Dustin was his name before the silly medics tossed him in lockup for that quack to hurt him." Nikis growled, his rage coming back, but not directed at Artus. The Volt was suddenly glad. "_Damn_, it still hurts." The old Tenno said softly. "Hearing about that. Seeing the boy after… He didn't remember."

"Remember?" Artus asked, suddenly scared. Something dark and terrible lurked in the Nekros' voice now. Something so…raw and hurt. Nikis turned and seemed to relax.

"Ah, pay me no mind. I am rambling." Nikis said softly. "I am old, I am allowed to."

"Nikis?" Artus asked slowly. "Can I help?" He asked.

"Yeah." Nikis said slowly as he reached for a locker nearby. "I need a ride to that tower. Karl left the Sanctuary four hours ago."

"Aw crap!" Artus swallowed hard. "He is…" He broke off as Nikis shook his head. "What?"

"His course wasn't to the hidden colony. He is not heading to the Elders. Not yet." Nikis said as he pulled a gleaming rifle from the locker. The Burston Prime was immaculate. He holstered it and drew a pair of Magnus pistols from the locker. He holstered them and then drew them in a single sinuous motion. He spun then in a complicated gunfighter pattern and then holstered them. But then, Artus eyes went wide as the far older Tenno pulled a Glaive from the locker. And not just _any_ Glaive. This one…

"Nikis…" Artus said, his voice weak. "That isn't…" It wasn't a standard Glaive or even a Glaive Prime.

"No, it isn't the First One's Glaive." Nikis said with a snarl. "But I made it in the same pattern and it works just fine. Want to find out?" He snapped as he brandished the Glaive. It's blades were much longer and dangerous looking than a normal Glaive's.

"No." Artus said with a wince. He was still trying to wrap his mind around this. "When do we leave?"

"Now."

* * *

Iriana was tired and more than a bit cranky. She had finally managed to get to sleep, but had only managed an hour or so before an incoming transmission had been routed for her attention. Artus was returning. He hadn't been gone long, for which she was grateful, but she did wish to have gotten at least a full hour's sleep.

"Healer?" Lisa asked from nearby. "You okay?" iriana grimaced, but the girl was not dissuaded. "We cannot access your mind, but we can tell you are uncomfortable."

"The cravings are stronger when I am tired." Iriana admitted. The physical morphine addiction may have been gone, but the psychological part was slow to pass. There really wasn't anything she could do without allowing others into her mind, and frankly? She didn't trust any other mental specialists at the moment. "At least this is almost done." She said, waving her left hand at her right which finally showed the beginnings of a hand under the clear prosthesis. The robot hand was still functional, but would likely lose some function as the flesh inside grew. "Can't wait to have two flesh and blood hands again."

"The repairs to your scalp are done too." Lisa said gently. "You are okay."

"I know that." Iriana said with a sigh. "Just tired."

"You haven't been sleeping enough." Lisa said softly. "We feel your tension. We wish we could help."

"You do." Iriana said with a smile that was only half forced. "I will be okay once I get some sleep. Thank you for your concern and support. We are…" She paused as the airlock clanked, showing a Tenno ship had docked. "Wonder why he wanted both of us."

Both women went still as a Tenno appeared in the airlock. Artus was…nervous. It was clear just from his posture that he was nervous. But it was the _other_ Tenno who followed them who suddenly had Lisa tensing.

"Lisa?" Iriana asked, concerned.

"She shares a mind with Jasmina if half of what Artus told me is true." The pitch black colored Nekros in the odd robe said calmly. "I bet Jasmina remembers me."

"She says… You are memorable." Lisa said weakly. "Master Nikis."

"She _never_ called me that!" Nikis said with a snort. "What did she call me?" He demanded. Lisa gave a squeak. "Well?" He asked.

"It's ah… not for polite company." Lisa said weakly.

"I don't think harsh language is going to make any of us _faint_, girl." Nikis said with a snort. "What did she call me?"

"She called you a cantankerous old meddler whose brains needed some softener so they wouldn't hurt while flowing out your rear." Lisa said, her face ashen. "I… um…" Iriana paled as well.

"Not quite." Nikis said with a booming laugh. "But close enough. Tell me. Does she know who I am? Really?"

"No." Lisa admitted. "She says you were a… um… wise man who she… um… consulted on occasion."

"You keep editing her words and you are going to irritate her, girl." Nikis warned with another laugh. He shook himself and bowed formally to Lisa. It was archaic that bow, but… right.

"Tenno bow to no one." Lisa said, stunned. "Jasmina is… sputtering. She didn't think you knew _how_."

"She can hear me?" Lisa nodded and Nikis continued. "Jasmina…" Nikis' voice was suddenly gentle. "You were the best match for him. I wish you had both had more time. And I sincerely hope your kid takes after Dust's _mother_."

"His _mother_?" Artus, Iriana and Lisa all chorused.

"You _knew_ her?" Lisa asked cautiously after a moment.

"I should." Nikis said sadly. "I married her."


	17. Chapter 17

**Choices**

"You were Dust's father." Lisa had been so stunned that Iriana had led her into another room and sat the girl down to make sure she ate. No one was going to sleep after the Nekros' bombshell.

"Yeah. It was… a long time ago." Nikis said quietly. He stayed near one wall, where he could see the door and his hands were still, but not far from his pistols. "Mother's name was Kalina. When we lost her… it was… bad. She was a good soul. Me? I ain't. Dust always took after _her_."

"Jasmina is crying." Lisa said softly. "She wants to come."

"Not yet. Too many players right now. We need to keep it as simple as we can." The Nekros said with a shake of his head. "We will meet again, you hot headed witch." Nikis promised. "Right now, we have to fix this mess."

"She… agrees, but holds you to that…" Lisa gasped and snarled. "No, I am _not_ going to say that!" She declared to someone who wasn't present.

"It's okay, girl." Nikis said with a small chuckle. "I knew Jasmina when she was an initiate. She always had a foul mouth. The quintessential hot head although she grew up a little. I bet I know what she said."

"It… involved a… long stick and a pit of… rabid weasels." Lisa said with a wince.

"Yep." Nikis snorted. "What I thought. Keep her in the loop, but we need to figure out where Karl went." Iriana tensed and Nikis nodded. "He left the Sanctuary and headed off into the system, but the inner system, not the outer." He shrugged. "Actually glad he left. Didn't relish the thought of walking across the volcano to the Sanctuary again."

"_Volcano?_" Iriana asked and then quickly shook her head. "No! I _don't_ want to know!" She declared.

"I said he wanted privacy and it was very dangerous." Artus said with a shrug. "Do we have any idea where he went?"

"Not really." Nikis said with a scowl that was visible even through his closed faceplate. "Boy always did play his cards close to the chest. Dang it, I didn't want to involve the Lotus…"

"Why not?" Iriana asked. "If… If I am not being too forward or anything."

"Let's just say that the Lotus and I don't get along all that well." Nikis said with a sigh. "Owing her a favor is gonna _suck_."

"You will owe me nothing, Nikis." A soft female voice sounded form nearby and all turned to see a screen come to life. The visible form of the Lotus appeared on it. "You can holster your pistols, Nikis. I am not there." Nikis growled and his pistols twirled as he holstered them. It…wasn't as if he was doing it deliberately. More a reflex. "You haven't changed a bit, you cantankerous old fool." The Lotus said mildly. "I do want the best for the Tenno, Nikis."

"Could have fooled me." Nikis said sourly. "Spoiled brat of a girl. Didn't get any better when you merged with the AI."

"Insult me as you wish." The Lotus replied with a calm shone even through the screen. "You will anyway. But I have been monitoring. I have tracked Karl."

"Where is he going?" Iriana asked before Nikis could speak again, earning her a grunt from the Nekros.

"His course is taking him to Mercury." The Lotus responded. "Although I am not sure why."

"Is he coming to the Tower?" Iriana asked, confused.

"No." The Lotus replied. "And he is disregarding all communication attempts. He likely does not realize you are there, Healer Iriana."

"Why would he go to Mercury?" Lisa asked. But Iriana and Artus shared a glance. "What?" Lisa demanded.

"That is where this mess started to spiral out of control." Iriana said with a wince. "I bet I know where he is going…"

* * *

He was exactly where Iriana expected him to be. The huge Tenno in the Rhino warframe stood at the cliff side where she had taken her nearly fatal plunge. Twee-Kee hovered beside her, but other than that, she was alone. It…hadn't been easy to come alone, but she had managed.

"Karl." Iriana said quietly, fully aware that he had seen her approach. "I want to talk to you." He did not respond. "The silent treatment doesn't work for Mishka, Karl. It won't work for you either."

"You would stand there all day, wouldn't you?" Karl's words would have been humorous. Once. Now? They were just empty. His head turned to look at her, then back out over the distance.

"If I had to, yes." Iriana replied easily. "Killing yourself won't bring Dust back, Karl."

"I know." Karl said.

"If you go to the Elders and don't tell them, they will order you to." Iriana said quietly. "You gave your oath of silence. So you cannot go to the Elders."

"Sophistry won't help, Iriana." Karl said calmly. "I am responsible."

"No, _Eliza_ is." Iriana was gratified to see Karl stiffen. "She came to the dojo. Offered Lisa and me her life. We both refused it. We refuse yours too."

"It's not that simple, Iriana." Karl said softly. "Dust is dead. If I had managed to stop him…" He trailed off as Iriana growled.

"_How_?" Iriana demanded. "How _can_ you _stop_ someone like that, Karl? _Kill_ him? You didn't want to."

"But he died anyway." Karl mused. "I knew something was wrong. I knew it was off. I had no idea. I had no idea what Jasmina would do or why. Can't blame her."

"You didn't know how insane Redi was, Karl." Iriana said quietly. "No one did."

"Doesn't matter." Karl said with a sigh. "I came here to see about what Artus said."

"They were left to die." Iriana said with a touch of heat.

"The Grineer wouldn't have killed them all." Karl said soberly. "Any who resisted, or tried to run, yes. All? No."

"What good will it do?" Iriana asked, her tone pointed. "Revenge won't solve anything."

"I wasn't thinking about revenge." Karl said, still calm. "I want to find out where the Grineer took those people."

"And do _what_?" Iriana asked suspiciously.

"For a just a little bit…" Karl said, still looking off into the distance. "I can act like a regular Tenno. Do something good, like rescue some slaves." Then he froze. "Iriana, Run! Stalker!" He stepped away from Iriana but the healer didn't move. "Iriana, please!"

"I am not done talking to you yet." Iriana said quietly.

She did duck as a blackness formed nearby. Karl drew his Orthos Prime and charged just as Stalker finished manifesting. But… something was wrong. The skin that Karl's Rhino was encased in suddenly vanished and Karl rocked back as Stalker drew his scythe. Karl parried the assassin's attacks, but he was off balance and fell back towards the cliff side. Then, Stalker got in a good slice and Iriana screamed as Karl fell, a rent in his armor. Stalker turned, his scythe raised, but froze on seeing the unarmored Healer. Before the boogeyman could recover, Twee-kee fired.

The Djinn sentinel had been… upgraded by Miguel and the other Tenno of Karl's clan. Iriana did not know _what_ they had put in the small robot's innards, but whatever the heck it was, it surprised the _hell_ out of Stalker. Iriana saw blue sparks as the Stalker's shields failed, he started to raise his scythe and a Kunai hit him from behind, Karl was on his back, throwing blades at the red and black warframe as Twee-kee fired again. The enemy paused, seemed to nod to her, then knelt and vanished.

"What the _hell_?" Karl asked as Iriana ran up, her gear coming to hand. She wasn't a combat medic, but she carried all kinds of medical gear as a matter of course. "What have you _got_ in that thing?" He demanded as Twee-kee made a noise of contentment, secure that the enemy had gone.

"No idea." Iriana replied, working swiftly to fix the damage Karl's warframe had taken. "Jasmina decided I needed an escort, but I didn't want it armed when I went to the tower. Miguel put something in. He wouldn't tell me what."

"He always did like his surprises." Karl said as he rose. "Thank you. He had me."

"What happened?" Iriana asked, worried. Stalker was dangerous, but she hadn't imagined he could take down Karl with _one_ hit.

"Dunno." Karl said as he recovered his Orthos Prime from where it had fallen. "Iron Skin failed and he hit me hard. Then you surprised him as much as you surprised _me_ with that cannon. You don't know what it is?" He asked incredulously.

"Like I say, no idea." Iriana said mildly as she put her gear away. "Miguel and the others refused to let me leave with an unarmed Sentinel. It was 'Accept that or be grounded'. Alicia's exact words."

"You went to the dojo." Karl said slowly. "Why?"

"Lisa wanted to go to draw Eliza's attention." Iriana said quietly. "But Janas had the box with her brain matter in it." Karl stiffened and Iriana nodded. "It is destroyed now. Things were… a bit tense, but everything worked out. Jasmina is still angry. But she doesn't want you or Eliza dead, Karl. It won't fix anything."

"Iriana, I cannot trust myself now." Karl said quietly as he holstered his Orthos Prime. "How can others trust me if I cannot trust myself?"

"I trust you." Iriana said simply.

"_Why?_" Karl demanded. He towered over her, but it didn't matter.

"Karl." Irian said gently, laying her left hand in the arm of the Rhino warframe. Was it her imagination it trembled under her touch? "Everyone makes mistakes. You made mistakes. They are in the past. You cannot change them. But killing yourself won't bring Dust back."

"No, it won't." Karl agreed stoically. "I thought you would hate me."

"Oh, I am angry with you." Iriana said with a snarl. She lifted the prosthesis that covered her right arm and waved it at him. "Very angry. But I do not want you _dead_."

"Iriana. I am responsible for what the clan did." Karl said quietly. "I took responsibility. The Elders will demand answers. I can't give them the answers they will demand." He was pleading with her now. Quietly, calmly, but pleading. "My…sacrifice will expunge the clan's shame."

"Karl." Iriana said quietly. "You knew Jasmina was pregnant. Did you know it was Dust's child?" Karl nodded. "You have a chance to atone." _She_ was begging now. "Please, Karl!"

"My honor is my life, Iriana." Karl said softly. "It is all I am. All I have left now. I cannot disregard it now."

"Karl… Please…" The Healer collapsed to her knees, tears starting to fall.

"I am sorry, iriana." Karl said with a shrug. "I will find out what happened to the people of this settlement. Then I will face the Elders. Don't try and follow me." He cautioned.

Without a further word, he threw himself off the cliff. Iriana slumped. He would take no harm in the fall, warframes were durable beyond belief. But she wasn't about to try and follow him.

"Once that way was more than enough." Iriana said as she rose, but then she stiffened. Something… Twee-kee was turning…

She had no other warning whatsoever as a massive explosion went off near her. When she could see again, she was lying on the ground, her head pounding. She could see Twee-Kee firing but not hear it. Then the Djinn sparked and fell to the ground where it fell to pieces. The healer stared up into familiar green armor. Then the butt of a Grakata swung at her face and she knew no more.

* * *

"What do you _mean _she is _gone_?" Lisa demanded. "Where the _hell_ is Karl?" She was still in the tower but had to be physically restrained form jumping up and running to the portal. Luckily, the Excalibur Prime could do that and not hurt her.

"No sign of Karl. We found Twee-Kee. What is _left_ of it anyway." Will said softly as he released her, but stayed between her and the door. "We haven't been able to locate Iriana. There were signs of battle. Six Grineer bodies that looked like Twee-Kee's work. That modified Sweeper shotgun leaves a recognizable mess." When Miguel built a weapon, he tended to err on the side of _overkill_. His motto? 'If you are leaving scorch marks? Get a bigger gun.'

"The _Grineer_ got her?" Lisa wilted a little. "No. If they see that prosthesis…" The Grineer went ape over any kind of Orokin technology. Something like the bionics that they adored so much made of golden Orokin tech? She had no idea _how_ the clones would react but it likely wouldn't be good.

"I know." Will said quietly. "I have assembled the clan. We will find her." He looked at the other Tenno nearby. Artus nodded, Nikis shook his head.

"Got a few other avenues to pursue." Nikis said quietly. "Butts to kick among other things. _You_ ain't going." He said to Lisa who bristled, but then slumped and nodded. "We will find her." The ancient Nekros promised the girl. "You need to take care of yourself and your little one. Do I need to ask Will for a guard to keep you from doing anything dumb?" It was an honest question.

"No." Lisa said sadly. "I want to help. She helped me. I want to… do something. But everyone here and… elsewhere all agree. I have to stay protected. It… rankles."

"I know, but you _have_ to stay safe. You are carrying my grandkid, girl." Nikis said gently. "I am going to be… out of touch for a bit. But I do want to help you. And Jasmina. I am old and set in my ways, but I do remember…" He slumped a bit and then froze as Lisa stepped up and hugged his warframe. "Hey now!" He protested. "Don't do _that_. People will think I went _soft_."

"I _highly_ doubt that." Lisa said with heavy sarcasm as she stepped back. "But… Jasmina has just asked if you _could_ leave someone with me." All three Tenno turned to look at her. "Someone with your com protocols." She said to Will who looked at Nikis. The Nekros shrugged.

"Why?" Nikis asked.

"Depending on how many Grineer you face…" Lisa said, her face turning savage. "_You_ might need backup."

"Are you saying what I _think_ you are saying?" Will asked slowly. "I mean… _She_ is offering…?"

"They love Iriana too." Lisa said, her eyes starting to burn. "They will _not_ leave her to the Grineer. Not now. Not ever."

"Oh boy…" Will said with a wince. He looked at Nikis, but the Nekros just sighed.

"Not my call." Nikis said with a shrug. "Got my own fish to fry."

"Why would you _fry_ a _fish_?" Lisa asked, confused. Then she chuckled. "Never mind. Jasmina just filled me in."

"It must get awfully confusing in your head." Will said with a snort. "I mean, it is bad enough with just me and sometimes the Lotus in _mine_."

"It's just the way I have always been, Tenno Will." Lisa said calmly.

"No need for such formality, Lisa." Will said kindly. "Cecelia and Cora will be joining you here shortly."

"Cora is the Grineer?" Lisa asked softly. "Oh, for tactical analysis in close to real time?"

"She knows more about how the Grineer operate on a day to day basis than any of us." Will agreed. "All of the rest of us in warframes will stage from here with the Tower's permission."

-Granted- The Tower spoke aloud. –Find her-.

"Can you track the prosthesis or her key?" Will asked, nodding.

-No- The Tower replied after a moment. -She may be out of range-

"Or the prosthesis may have been destroyed by whatever hit Iriana. Her key could be shielded." Will said with a sigh. Lisa gave a cry but subsided when Nikis laid a hand on her shoulder. "Iriana is a survivor, Lisa. She won't give up."

"And we won't give up on _her_." Lisa said with a nod. "So… I coordinate with Jasmina and her people. Cora and Cecelia will work with me to coordinate with _your_ people. Artus?"

"I am going to search the caves." Artus said with a nod. "I can do it fast and efficiently. I know most of them. When I am in them though, I will be out of contact."

"Be careful." Lisa begged him. Artus looked at her for a moment and then nodded and left the room.

"Safe is not in our job description, Lisa." Will said quietly. "I will get my people moving. We will find her." He nodded to Lisa as well and left.

"In time?" Lisa begged the door after it had shut behind him.

"Hey." Nikis said as he stepped forward. "Buck up, girl. You know Iriana. If there weren't a body, she ain't dead. They wanted her alive and we will get her back."

"Jasmina says you are a hard hearted old coot." Lisa said, gulping. "Why are you acting like this?"

"Been a mean old man for a long, long time, girl." The Nekros said calmly. "Really been taking joy in hurting people ever since the Lotus told me I couldn't gun Redi down like the _dog_ he was. My own father put it best. 'There are some people who just need killing'. Told me I couldn't and I told _her_ what she could do with herself. Hid away, ignoring everything. Meditating. Thinking. Stewing. Hating. But now…" His armored hand touched her cheek, so gently. "Maybe it is time for me to stop hating."

"I… I don't know what to say." Lisa said slowly. "Jasmina is…crying… I…"

"Don't need to say anything, girl." The Nekros said kindly. "Go on. If we _do_ need Jasmina's friends… We will need 'em bad. And if that happens… Don't hold back. Iriana would _much_ prefer to die by a friend's hands than to be a plaything for Grineer." He said flatly.

"I… I don't…" Lisa swallowed then she straightened and her voice became strong. "We will be ready. What are you going to do?"

"Me?" Nikis asked and then chuckled evilly. "Was told Eliza went home. Going to go have a _talk_ with her."


	18. Chapter 18

**Searching for a Cure**

Iriana woke suddenly, aware of pain. Of the craving that she couldn't seem to escape. She had been… She couldn't remember. She had been talking to Karl and something had happened. Karl had…left. She remembered that. She remembered Twee-kee shooting at something, but then… nothing.

"Ma'am?" A scared voice sounded form nearby and Iriana cracked her eyes to see a human girl staring at her. The girl wore an odd garment. Half smock, half coverall, it seemed to be made of some kind of metal. But it was the large loops at the neck and wrists that caught Iriana's attention. Places for chains to be attached, she bet there were ones at the girl's ankles too.

"Who are you?" Iriana managed to croak out. She checked herself, but her gear and her skana were gone. Her key… She paused. Her body was also partly covered in the odd metal. It wasn't heavy. But it was covering her from neck to toes with open spaces around her chest and abdomen showing the areas of the garment she had worn since waking in Jasmina's care. Her right arm was free of the metal. Well, free except for the huge manacle around the wrist of the golden prosthesis and the chain running from the manacle to the wall.

"I am… a slave…" The girl said weakly. "I am supposed to tend you."

"_Tend_ me?" Iriana asked slowly. She tried to sit up and pain stabbed through her. It seemed to be concentrated in her back. But also in her abdomen. She touched her flesh and blood hand to the metal, but could not feel any difference.

"Please." The girl begged. "If I fail… they will kill my family."

"They are going to kill your family anyway, girl." Iriana said softly. The girl gulped and then nodded. "That is what Grineer _do_."

She stared around the small room. It was… fairly posh for a cell. The bed she was on had a pillow where her head was lying and an actual sheet that was thrown to the side. Both looked to have been looted from somewhere and not cleaned since. There was a chair that the girl was sitting in, watching her fearfully. There was a table with… She went stiff as she saw the distinctive outline of her portal key lying on the table. It was locked to her genetics. She knew that the Grineer could have broken the lock, given time and effort, so… why leave it for her. She shook her head, focusing on the girl. The key was a trap of some kind. It had to be. She wouldn't lead the Grineer to the Tower.

"Please?" The girl begged, reaching down to pull a rag up. It dripped with water.

Iriana looked at the girl and then around again. There was one door, but it had no knob or control. No means of opening from this side. This was a cell. The girl took her silence for assent and stepped forward, the rag in hand. Iriana did not move as the girl slowly and carefully cleaned her face and the exposed flesh. This close, Iriana could see the marks of old injuries on the girl's face and neck.

"They hurt you." Iriana said quietly. The girl stiffened, but continued her work. "How long have you been here?" The girl shook her head and Iriana sighed. "This won't work." She said louder. "I won't trust her."

The girl recoiled as the door slammed open. A Grineer Lancer stood in the doorway, his Grakata leveled at Iriana and the girl, but then a laugh came.

"You are a tough one." A harsh voice sounded as a large Grineer pushed past the lancer into the room. Iriana controlled her features a she recognized him. Tyl Regor, the Grineer's preeminent scientist. "And an enigma."

"Better an enigma than a monster." Iriana said calmly.

"One being's monster is another's savior." Regor said with what was probably supposed to be a grin. On his face it was hideous. "You are medically trained."

"Am I?" Iriana asked sarcastically.

"Our drones recorded you healing that Tenno scum." Regor replied evenly. "While I would prefer more time to experiment… I am afraid our time is limited."

"Pity." Iriana said without respect.

"Indeed." Regor replied. "These humans, even the strong ones, die so quickly. It is bothersome to replace them so often. But you… You are far stronger of body and mind than these." The girl gave a small cry and Regor chuckled evilly. "See?"

"I see the strong taking from the weak." Iriana said in a monotone. "And I see a man who will die again soon."

"Again?" Regor asked and then nodded. "We had wondered what this was." He held up the box that held her neural connectors. "You have had dealing with Tenno."

"Have I?" Iriana replied.

"We will have it out of you." Regor said with another evil chuckle. "The samples we took from you will be identified soon. But the Queens require your presence." Iriana could not disguise a shudder and Regor smiled. It was a cold thing. "They want to know how a human got hold of Orokin technology. They want access to the key we found with you. They want to know how to duplicate the prosthesis you bear."

"I am not responsible for their wants." Iriana said evenly.

"Then how about this?" Regor asked as he lashed out with a foot, slamming the girl to the floor. She scrambled desperately to escape, but his massive foot pinned her in place. She gave a scream as he pressed down on her leg and it broke with a thin snap. "Bases break so easily." He said with disdain. "Shall I do it again?"

"You will anyway." Iriana said calmly although inside, she was fighting anger and fear. "Hurting people is what you _do_. It is _all_ you know how to do."

"People?" Regor said with a sour laugh. "This?" He reached down and picked the struggling girl up by her neck. "This is not a person. This is filth."

"I am _looking_ at filth." Iriana said, not taking her eyes from Regor. "I will not help you."

"Oh, yes you will. Willingly or no, you will help us." Regor said with malicious glee. He dropped the girl and nodded to the Lancer. "We need to transport these as soon as possible." He turned back to Iriana with another grin. "And thank you. The pure female genetic samples we took from you will speed my work greatly."

"Except my DNA is corrupted." Iriana said, her tone mirroring his. Regor froze as now _Iriana_ laughed coldly. "How long can you work around high energy scanners without being…damaged, Regor?"

"Scans are clear. You had a child." Regor snapped.

"Before." Iriana said with glee that matched his. His face contorted in anger and she laughed. The meager warmth in the room seemed to flee from her laugh. "Go right ahead, make your clones. They will fail just like you Grineer always do. That is _all_ you do. Grineer perfection is a _lie_." She said with a sour chuckle. "All you need to do is look in a mirror."

"I don't know what you are." Regor said with a grunt. "The Queens will have it out of you." He stalked form the room and the Lancer followed. The door slammed shut and a clunk indicated that it locked.

Iriana lay still for a moment and then slowly eased herself up so she could see the sobbing girl on the floor. Then she grimaced as she felt a rumbling start. She was on a ship. Iriana levered herself up despite the pain and slid to the floor. It hurt, Oh my god it hurt, but she eased her way to where the girl lay sobbing and pulled the poor thing close.

"It's okay, girl." Iriana said softly. "It's okay."

"Hurts." The girl cried as Iriana held her.

"I know." Iriana said sadly. "Let me see." She slowly straightened the girl until she gave a sharp cry and then examined the leg. It was broken badly. Almost as badly as Iriana's leg had been broken when she threw herself off that cliff. "Your family are on this ship?" She asked and the girl nodded. "Good."

"_Good_?" The girl pleaded and then gave a shrill scream as Iriana straightened the leg with a practiced yank. Then she collapsed into Iriana's arms, sobbing as Iriana held her leg steady.

"Nothing to splint it with and you are probably bleeding internally." Iriana said with a scowl. She shook her head and looked at the key glinting on the table. "There is a field around that, isn't there?"

"What do you mean?" The girl begged, her face burning with shame and pain.

"Did you try to touch that gold thing?" Iriana asked. The girl nodded. "Something shocked you, right?" The girl nodded again, her face a mask of fear. "Figured. Don't move." Iriana said with a groan as she slowly sat up.

"What are you doing?" The girl demanded shrilly as Iriana rose and stepped towards the table. Her back hurt, but nothing was broken. She knew that feeling.

"Calling for help." Iriana said with a malicious smile as she slammed her robot hand onto the key. As expected a bright blue field of energy appeared around the key, but her prosthesis shielded her somewhat. The pain was intense however and she only managed to hit one button on the key before she recoiled, gasping in pain. She was staggering as she sat back down by the girl. "Now we wait. My name is Iri, what is yours?"

"C…Cindy…" The girl gasped. "What did you _do_?"

"Unleashed hell."

* * *

"We got a positional lock on Iriana's key! Go! Go! Go!" Will called as he slammed his ship into drive. All around him, other Tenno ships were coming alive all around Mercury. He stared at the scans and cursed. "It's a Grineer transport and it is boosting. Course is Earth."

"Will we be able to intercept?" Alicia said from the side, checking her weapons as Will coordinated the others and his ship.

"Yes." Will's voice was a feral promise. But then he cursed again. "Multiple Grineer galleons powering up to intercept. Two, three dozen of them." Then he paused. "Whoa…" His tone held awe now and Alicia stared at the screen as a dozen small dots appeared on it. _Other_ Tenno ships. Vectoring towards the newly alerted Grineer. It was turning into a free for all. Pitched battles erupted as Tenno strike teams boarded several Grineer galleons.

_Get to her quickly. _The Lotus came to them and was just as quietly was gone.

"Right." Will said with a gulp. "Alicia. You, me, Ric and Two hit the starboard airlocks. Mori, Olim, Aeron and Karen hit the port airlocks. No time for stealth. Hit them hard and fast." Acknowledgements came from the other Tenno and Will smiled coldly as his small assault ship closed on the now fleeing transport, the other clan ships hot on his heels. "Too late for them now."

"Watch your fire." Alicia said with a snarl. "Friendlies aboard that ship. But if it is in green armor? _Kill_ it."

**A bad day to be Grineer**

The Grineer didn't have a chance. The small transport was intended for speed. But nothing in space was as fast as Tenno assault ships. It was too small to house any worthwhile number of troops and even if it _had_? Against_ eight_ Tenno? No chance.

Will danced into another squad of Grineer, his skana flashing as it took life after life, the degenerate clones falling like wheat before a scythe. They had a positional fix on Iriana's key. And this close, they had a scan on the prosthesis. Now if only she was alive. He shook himself and focused on what he did. What he was. He was no diplomat, no healer. Will was a weapon. Forged and honed to perfection in many lifetimes worth of combat.

Alicia was right with him, her Braton picking off Grineer after Grineer. Two's Paris Prime arrows sang around the pair, pinning enemies to walls, deck and in one case, the ceiling. Ric actually had little to do. His Ignis was short ranged, but he maintained a close watch. They had already passed several compartments jam packed with humans, most in fairly bad shape. Will wasn't sure where the humans had come from or why, but the medical gear and some of the… remains that they had passed showed grisly work indeed. One thing was certain, they were not going to leave Iriana here.

A scream from up ahead had all four Tenno fading to the sides of the companionway that they had been traversing. Then they all stopped.

"Tenno Skuuuum!" One of the Grineer Lancers raised his Grakata, but an arrow from Two put him out of his misery. That was incidental. The other three lancers were behind cover, and between the cover and the Tenno were at least twenty civilian humans, most of them more than a bit worse for wear.

"We will accessorize this one's suit with some bullet holes!" The Grineer had Iriana in one hand and a familiar short skana in the other. Will recognized the clone. Tyl Regor. Iriana was hurt, she was bleeding. But she was also snarling as batting at the hand that held her. "Be silent, filth!"

Will didn't have a shot. He turned his head to the side, but small shakes told him team didn't have shots either. If he fired, humans would die. Iriana would likely die. That was unacceptable. He made a motion and the Tenno faded back into the shadows.

"That is more like it, you Tenno dogs!" Regor snapped. "Flee! You will not stop me! Grineer dominance is-"

Whatever else he was going to say was tabled as a large white form landed on him. Iriana fell from his grasp and rolled as she hit the floor. Will was frozen for a moment, but then charged forward as the humans screamed and scattered from the battle that erupted behind them.

Will managed one clean shot and took down a Scorch who was about to fry Iriana where she lay, then the battle was over. Regor lay on the deck, his neck hanging at an awkward angle. The other Grineer had been slain by careful shots from the Alicia and Two as… Karl finished the Grineer commander.

"What… kept you…?" Iriana asked weakly as Alicia ran forward, hands outstretched to help.

"Ran into some old friends." Alicia said, obviously trying not to cry. "How bad?"

"Nothing broken for once." Iriana said with a sigh. "Hurts like hell. Lots of injured humans… I…"

"We have to get you out of here." Will said quickly checking each Grineer corpse. None were going to get up. Several humans had minor injuries.

"Not without them." Iriana said faintly as Alicia worked. She waved weakly behind her. "Girl. About twelve. Compound fracture, lower leg… She needs…"

"Healer, with all due respect…" Will said with a groan.

"These are the humans that the Grineer took. I didn't get a full count." Karl said softly. "I tracked them to this ship. Didn't know you were here until a moment ago, Iriana."

"You think I am going to _complai_n about your timing, Karl?" Iriana asked and then gasped as Alicia did something. She relaxed. "We have to help these people. I…"

"Iriana, we need to evac you." Alicia said quickly. "I don't like these readings."

"We are not leaving these people!" Iriana said fiercely. "Not… again…"

"No." Karl said slowly. "No, we won't. Will?" He asked.

"What, Karl?" Will replied, checking the huddled humans closest to him. All were terrified, but none looked hurt. A few looked sick though, probably some of Regor's twisted experiments.

"We need to quarantine these people, get them all checked out." Karl said quietly. He paused as Two came into view, carrying cringing little girl with a badly damaged leg.

"I wanna go home…" The girl said weakly as Two laid her down beside Iriana. "Miss Iri… I wanna go home…"

"I think we can manage that." Iriana said with a glare as Alicia started to hold her hand over the Healer. "Don't you dare!"

"Iriana, you are hurt." Alicia said calmly. "Moving you is going to _hurt._"

"I am not leaving these people!" Iriana snapped. "Karl, Will... Please!" Will looked at Karl and the Rhino sighed and then strode to stand beside Iriana.

"Yeah. I think it is time to turn this ship around." Karl said with a nod. "Time to take these people home."

"Preferably _before_ Nikis loses his temper." Iriana said weakly.

"_Nikis_?" Karl demanded. "What is _he_ doing here?"

"Knowing him? Making a mess…"

* * *

**Avalon Portal Hub**

"This can go one of two ways, girly." If the pitch black Nekros was disconcerted by the twelve Prime warframe that surrounded him, it was unapparent. "You can take me to your leader. _Or_ I can step over your smoking corpses and _find_ your leader. Either way is fine by me."

Nikis' hands were not on his paired Magnus revolvers. Indeed, they were crossed over his chest.

"I don't know who you are!" Guard Commander Petra snapped as she leveled her Boltor Prime at the Nekros. "But you are trespassing."

"Yes, I am." Nikis said with a snort. "Ask me if I care."

"You are insane!" Petra snapped. "We have you outnumbered!"

"Outnumbered? Yes." Nikis retorted evenly. "Outgunned…? Yes. Outclassed? Nah." He chuckled.

"You can't win!" Petra declared.

"Is that _so_?" NIkis asked with a trace of amusement that faded. "Tell me this, girly…" Petra bristled at the insult, but more than one of the Royal Guard -the older ones- lowered their weapons slightly. "Since you are such a masterful tactician… Tell me this. Why would I come here? Now? If I _didn't_ think I could win? Even against all of you?"

"You are crazy." Petra said, her tone faltering a bit as she saw the older members of the guard slowly lower their weapons. "What are you_ doing_?" She demanded.

"Um… Petra… Don't do anything rash." One of the others said slowly. "We… remember him. That is Grand Master Nikis. The _gunfighter_."

A palpable shiver went around the room and Nikis nodded. His hands uncrossed and slowly trailed down to hang near his pistols.

"That is my name." Nikis agreed. "So, girly…" He said with a menacing chuckle. "What is it going to be? You feeling _lucky_?"


	19. Chapter 19

**Therapy**

"Hey." Iriana said as she entered the small cave and saw Cindy awake finally. "How you doing, kiddo?"

The girl's leg had been a mess, but between Alicia and Iriana, the girl was almost fully healed. The Tenno had returned the transport to Mercury and offloaded it before filling it with dead Grineer and sending it off to Earth again. The message was clear. 'Back off'. The Grineer had lost the crews of a dozen Galleons for exactly no gain. They had lost Regor and all the slaves that the sadistic scum had taken to use in his experiments. The med teams… hadn't been able to save them all. Iriana had nightmares about some of what had been found in the small laboratory aboard the Grineer transport. But there were bright points.

"Miss Iri!" Cindy said with a smile as she sat up. "It doesn't hurt anymore!"

"That's good." Iriana said as she sat beside the girl. Cindy's injury had been extreme, but Tenno medical wizardry had been up to the task. Even before the commandeered Grineer transport had landed on Mercury, Iriana had badgered the Tenno into finding her gear and giving it back to her. Her own injuries had been mild, mostly bruises and one cracked rib. Other people in the transport's slave pens were not so lucky. She ran a scanner over Cindy's immobilized leg and smiled. "Yep, mostly healed."

"People say that Tenno are really scary." Cindy said after a moment. "But Miss Alicia is nice."

"_Miss_ Alicia?" Iriana said with a grin. "Oh yes, she is nice. Just don't make her mad."

"Yes, Ma'am." Cindy said meekly and then laid back, her eyelids drooping. "I…" She murmured tiredly.

"You are sleepy." Iriana said gently. "Totally understandable. Go on, get some more rest. You are safe now, Cindy." She gently rubbed the girl's cheek and Cindy murmured something as she fell asleep again. The quick heal used a lot of body resources and Cindy hadn't been that strong to begin with. "And you will stay that way." She promised quietly as she checked the IVs and monitors, but nothing was out of whack.

She brushed a lock of the girl's hair out of her face and then, with a sigh, rose from her seat. She couldn't put it off any more. She stepped out of the door and Pat looked up from her desk. The humans had been relocated from Jasmina's hideaway with almost indecent speed. Iriana could not help but breathe a sigh of relief. While she knew –intellectually- that Jasmina's friends wouldn't hurt anyone who didn't deserve it, she felt…wrong… when she dealt with Infested who talked, were polite and considerate. Not to mention being far smarter than she was. It just felt…wrong. She knew that Pat and the others felt the same way.

"How's the munchkin?" Pat asked, a smile on her face.

"I have no idea what a 'munchkin' is." Iriana said with a snort. "But Cindy's leg has stopped hurting. The regen took this time and she should have no impairment at all. Her nightmares are easing now that she is no longer stuck in one."

"And yours?" Pat asked slowly, scrutinizing Iriana's face.

"Better." Iriana admitted. "And yes, I am going to see Brianna shortly. She and Amelia have been hounding me to talk. I… wasn't ready."

"No one is going to make you do anything you don't want to, Iri." Pat said softly, shame coloring her face. She was one of the few that Iriana allowed to keep using the informal nickname. "Not after everything."

"Pat, we have been over this." Iriana said flatly. "You did what you could at the time. No permanent harm was done. Stop it. That is an order from your boss." She said with a glower that didn't fool Pat, the woman was smirking. "And wipe that grin off your face!"

"Yes, Healer." Pat said with a meekness that was totally feigned. The medic was anything but meek. "Anything you say, Healer!"

"Why do I put up with you?" Iriana asked with a snort as she stared around what had been a cave less than a week before.

Warrior Tenno were not just skilled at killing. And when the word went out across the system that Iriana was building something that hadn't been seen since the days of Orokin, non-warrior Tenno had come from all of the hidden colonies to help her set up the trauma center. Every one of the staff of the center knew that this place was dangerous. None of the residents had any misapprehension about that. Less than a thousand humans had survived to be taken to the Grineer slave pens, and of those, less than half were still hale. But… The idea of building the hospital in the scanner proof caves had been a stroke of genius. The Grineer had never twinged to the fact that a group of humans had literally been living under their feet as they patrolled the top of the cliff. It had been a random patrol that had caught Iriana, realizing that she was something more than a normal human quickly, they had taken great pains to keep her alive and intact. Five hundred humans made for a large group, but with Tenno crafters working overtime, the basic facility had taken shape within a day. Pat had come the next day with her group and been amazed at what had been literally given to them. There had been some talk of 'charity' but Iriana had nipped that in the bud. The Tenno paid their debts and they owed these people.

"Because you are noble and selfless." Pat said as Iriana sighed again. "Or you just need someone to drop your paperwork on."

"Ah!" Iriana said with a snort. "Knew there was a reason. Anything you need while I am at the Tower?"

"No." Pat said with a smile. "Artus reported that the Grineer have been… remarkably timid for their kind."

"They stepped too far out of line and got the crap kicked out of them." Another voice said as Jal stepped into the room. He gave Pat a peck on the cheek and nodded to Iriana. "It will take even Grineer time to recover. How is Cindy?"

"Asleep again." Iriana said with a smile. She had been dazed when she had seen Jal again. He was still sad. She knew that. But he radiated energy now. Energy to help those less fortunate. He had personally started an orphanage and was talking about adopting a couple of the worst off kids himself. "I am stalling." She said with a wince. "I don't want to do this."

"The only one who can do it is you, Lady Iriana." Jal said with a half bow.

"I almost liked you better when you were a creep." Iriana said with a glower. But her words were only half humorous. The humans…revered her. That was wrong. She was Tenno. She served, not led. "We pay our debts. We owed you a debt and we are paying it."

"You have paid far more than anyone deserved." Jal said quietly. "I know our… admiration is uncomfortable,… Iri." He used her nickname with a smile and Iriana relaxed. "But you deserve it if anyone does."

"Anything you can think of we need?" Iriana asked.

"Not really." Jal said with a frown. "All of the worst wounded went off to wherever the heck they went. The reports we get back say they will be back in a week or so. Plenty of resources as long as the power holds out."

"Back-up power…" Iriana mused. "I will see about something. But first I have other business to take care of. Not the least of which is my own problems."

"Please come back intact." Pat asked good natureredly. "You may be the boss, but seeing you in a cast again kind of hurt."

"It was a wrap!" Iriana complained. "Not a cast." Her rib had been cracked, not broken but Alicia hadn't wanted to let her run around without some form of protection. But then she sighed. "Okay, okay, no stupid risks. Yes. Going after my friend alone was stupid. I freely admit that."

"Iri…" Pat said, rising and stepping toward her friend. "We fret, okay? Yes, our thoughtless adulation bothers you. As well it should. But we are your friends too." She hugged Iriana who returned it. "We will keep the place running until you get back."

They had already started receiving emergency cases. Some of the human settlements on Mercury had been so long without proper medical care that it was going to be an uphill battle to gain their trust. But the few they had tended… Made it all worth it.

"I will hold you to that." Iriana hugged Pat and then stepped away, extending a hand to Jal who shook. Then she left the room and took a step towards the still unfamiliar room that served as the hospital's main transit hub.

"Ready to go, Healer?" Karen said quietly from where she stood. Iriana bit back a sigh. Getting angry didn't help. The clan had flatly refused to let her out of their sight without some kind of guard. Since Twee-kee was still broken (although Miguel promised repairs as soon as possible) she had a shadow at all times. Will and Alicia had offered her a Dethcube named 'D4l3K' of all things but she had flatly refused. Twee-kee had been bad enough. At least Karen was good company.

"No." Iriana admitted. "But that is just my own fear talking. My set-in-my-ways-ness."

"Is that a word?" Karen asked curiously as they stepped towards the portal.

"It is now." Iriana said with a smile as they stood on the portal platform and both were encompassed in golden energy. Then, they were elsewhere. This time, the tower's weapons did not track the mismatched pair. "Tower? Are Brianna and Amelia here?"

-Room 37-B, Healer.- The tower responded. –Welcome back-

"It is good to be back." Iriana said as she started off, Karen following. "We may need to contemplate some form of backup power generation for the hospital. Is geothermal possible?"

-Feasibility study begun, Healer- The tower responded. –We will have an analysis when your session is done-

"Right." Iriana swallowed hard as she came to the proper door. "Karen…" She said softly.

"I will be right outside, Healer." The Mag said gently as she laid a hand on Iriana's shoulder. Iriana covered it and then Karen moved to stand by the door. Iriana took a deep breath and opened the door. As she stepped in, she froze.

"You…finks…" Iriana said with a sigh as she stared at the hot tub nearby. A small area had been set up for massage and another with a couch and comfortable chairs.

"What?" Amelia asked as she finished laying out items on a table by the couch. "We want you relaxed. Can you think of anything more relaxing?" It would have worked better if she hadn't been wearing swimwear. It revealed nothing, but…

"Whose idea was this?" Iriana asked weakly as she stepped further in.

"Who do you think?" Brianna asked from where she lounged on the couch. She also wore swimwear. "This is going to be bad, Iriana." The human doctor said gently. "The least we can do is make the environment as relaxing as possible."

"Is that _chocolate_?" Iriana asked as she took another step forward. Amelia smiled as she uncovered what was, yes a large pile of bite sized chocolates. "You read my file…" She had a decided weakness for chocolate. Any kind.

"No." Amelia said with a wide grin. "Those are for_ us_. Does that garment work in water?" Instead of answering, Iriana shrank the fleshy bodysuit until it was a swim suit and Amelia nodded, eyes wide. "I guess it does."

"I have been practicing." Iriana said with a sigh. "I… I have to do this."

"We have time, dear." Amelia stepped close and took Iriana's hand. "And I might share my chocolates if you are nice."

"I am scared." Iriana said, ashamed. Brianna was off the couch and took her other hand gently. "I am so scared. This… craving… It hurts… But…"

"Come on." Aemlia said gently. "Relax first." She guided Iriana towards the steaming hot tub with Brianna's help. "Then we talk of difficult things."

Iriana sighed, but then did as instructed. She had to face this. She wanted to get better. She really did.

* * *

"Are you okay?" Karen's soft words were worried and Iriana roused herself for a moment to look at the Mag.

"It was…deep, Karen." Iriana said with a gulp. "So deep. They had to… go deep. And they couldn't get it all."

"What?" Karen demanded, staring at the door of Iriana's room as if she were about to run out and hurt someone.

"The physical craving is gone." Iriana said quietly, slowly getting up from the bed that Amelia and Brianna had managed to get her to. She remembered crying. A lot. Sweating, cursing and crying. "The psychological? That will take more than one session, no matter how marvelous."

"We are here for you, Healer." Karen said quietly. "Now and always."

"Well…" Iriana swallowed as she stepped towards the door. "When does Karl go to the Elders?" Karen did not respond and Iriana froze. "He has already gone, hasn't he?"

"Healer…" Karen said weakly.

"_No_!" Iriana snapped. "I will _not_ lose him! Not after all of this!" She focused on her suit and it expanded to cover her arms and legs. Karen retreated a step but did not react otherwise as Iriana spoke to the tower. "Tower? Time to transit to colony? Destination: Elder's hall."

-Transit available- The tower replied, but it was hesitant. -Healer, is this course wise?-

"Doubtful." Iriana said, sheathing her skana from where she had put it before going to visit Cindy. Weapons and psychiatric counseling sessions did _not_ mix. She also picked up her key and it vibrated with energy. "Karen?" She held out a hand.

"I am going to get in so much trouble for this…" Karen said, but took Iriana's hand. A golden flash and they were elsewhere.

"What the hell?" A security guard snapped, his Braton coming up, but he paused. Wise of him as Karen's Bronco pistol was in hand and aimed.

"Healer Iriana to see the Elders." Iriana said with a snarl as she started forward. "Move. Now." She knew that the main council chamber was only a few yards from this portal nexus.

"I…" The guard actually gibbered. Karen's Bronco did not waver.

"You are going to move." Karen said gently. "If you do it on your own, it won't hurt. She can and will walk over you. And anyone raising a weapon at her will face _me_." Her tone was cold and merciless and the guard wilted.

"Orders are that they not be disturbed for any reason." The guard said weakly.

"Karl is here already, isn't he?" Iriana snapped. The guard nodded and Iriana sighed. "Then we do not have time to _dither_. Move. Now." She commanded.

"I can't…" The guard started, but froze again as the portal behind them erupted in golden light again.

"Am I interrupting something?" The voice of Nikis came Iriana did not turn.

"Karl is facing the Elders." Iriana snapped. "I won't let him do it."

"No, you wouldn't." Nikis said, darkly amused. "I can get you in."

"Sir…" The guard swallowed hard. "I… I can't…" A thunder of footsteps sounded and at least a dozen more guards came pounding around a corner, all with weapons at the ready.

"Drop your weapons." Nikis said. "Now."

"I would do what he says." An unexpected voice sounded. Iriana spun to see Lisa standing beside the Nekros. But it was the form that was over the Nekros' shoulder that had Iriana freezing. Female. Wearing a golden gown. Tied and… her mouth covered by tape! She looked unconscious.

"Nikis!" Iriana snapped as the guards took up position. "What have you _done_?"

"Wouldn't shut up." Nikis said with a shrug as he dropped Eliza to the floor. "Nobody's dead, Healer. Yet."

"Do I want to know _how_ you got… her… out of there?" Iriana asked, stunned.

"Can be very persuasive." Nikis said with another shrug as he stepped forward, placing himself between the guards and Lisa, who sighed and knelt beside the still form of the Empress. "Boys. Might want to drop them weapons now."

"I don't care _who_ you are!" One of the newly come guards snapped, his aim sweeping over Lisa. "You are not…"

Whatever _else_ he was going to say was cut off by a roar of gunfire. Iriana screamed and dropped to the floor, seeing Karen slide in front of her, but… _None_ of the fire was coming from the _guards_! She stared up at the Nekros who had a Magnus pistol in each hand and was firing so fast it seemed he had _machine guns_ in each hand. She cried out, but when she looked at the guards… none of them were falling! Or… none of their _bodies_ were falling! Pieces were falling off their _guns_! In moments, every single guard who had been threatening the odd group held the battered remnants of automatic weapons and everyone was staring at the Nekros in shock. It was obvious that none of the weapons would function as they were.

"Ah…" One of the guards said in a dazed voice as Nikis reloaded in a fast, efficient manner. Nothing showy, just crisp and clean. More than one of the guards had soiled their pants. Iriana was glad her own garment didn't show such things. "He didn't hit any of us!"

One of the guards went for a pistol, only to be pulled by Karen and slammed into a wall where he lay, stunned.

"He hit _everything_ he _aimed_ at, you _idiot!_" The Mag nearly screamed, not moving. Wise of her.

"_That_ was me disabling guns." Nikis said mildly. "Like that mod. Made it myself. Call it 'Gun Kata'. Allows for selective levels of response. Level One is disablement of enemy armaments. Harder, but… Always loved a challenge and the Healer would get mad at me if I slaughtered you fools without at least _trying_."

"I…" Iriana swallowed. This was him… _not_ being lethal.

"Anyone want to see 'Level _Two'_?" The Nekros asked nastily.


	20. Chapter 20

**Reports**

"What…the…"

The words came from several of the robed forms sitting around a large semicircular table. Iriana couldn't really blame them. Being preceded into the room by fifteen security guards with hands on their heads was bad enough. Carrying the unconscious form of the Orokin Empress was worse. Having Nikis singing softly? A ballad? Something called _The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald_? Omg…

(( watch?v=adZiVjXFfKk))

"What is the meaning of this?" One of the Elders snapped, rising, only to freeze as Nikis stepped forward. The guards stepped to the wall with Karen facing them. She didn't have her Bronco in hand, but her hand was on it. And even if they could face her? No one wanted try Nikis again.

"Ah…" Karl stared with the Elder. He was kneeling in the middle of the floor and his face was ashen. Easy to see since he was wearing a white robe. "Nikis?"

"Shut up, you twit." The Nekros said calmly. "I ain't talking to you." He said to Karl.

"Nikis… Don't…" Karl began, only to grunt as Nikis backhanded him. The Nekros…did not pull his strike much and bone audibly snapped as Karl went down in a heap. He was lucky his head didn't fly off. One did _not_ get hit by a warframe while not wearing one and just 'get up' after.

"I said 'Shut up'." Nikis said harshly, spinning to glare at the Elders, all of whom looked shocked. "You know… I expected better." He shook his head. "I really, really did. I didn't expect _much_, but I _did_ expect better. All them years teaching Tenno brats and none of you have a _clue_, do you? You pulled him in here and _ordered_ him to tell you what you wanted first _thing_, didn't you?"

"Whoever you are, you have no-" The blustering Elder was cut off as another rose up and laid his hands on the desk. "Mavri, what-?" He demanded.

"Hans, be _silent_." Elder Mavri said slowly, making sure his hands stayed still and in plain sight. "I am _trying_ to save your _life_." He nodded to Nikis. "Let's none of us do anything stupid with Grand Master Nikis the _gunfighter _on edge? Please?" He begged.

The name 'Nikis' skittered around the room as if on claws. Nikis nodded to Mavri.

"I was wondering if _common sense_ had fallen completely out of favor." Nikis said quietly. "Mind you, I am a bit irritated at the moment. But…" He sighed deeply and relaxed. His hands did not move from the handles of his pistols. "Shooting people is not why I am here. Healer Iriana here wants to keep Karl from expiring."

"What?" The formerly blustering Elder said weakly.

"You _hard_ of _hearing_?" The acid in Nikis' tone could have melted steel. "Or just _dumb_ as a _post_?"

"Nikis?" Iriana begged. "Please?" She asked as she laid Eliza's still form down. Lisa moved up to kneel by the still Empress and Iriana turned to the gunfighter.

"You lousy _politicians_…" Nikis made the word a vile epithet. "…are gonna listen to the Healer. Or I might get upset. I ain't there yet. You _don't_ want me there." There was a wealth of menace in the old Tenno's words and more than one person quailed. All of the guards stayed where they were against the wall. None dared move.

"Nikis." Iriana begged again and Nikis stepped aside. It was pure coincidence that he moved to stand between the Elders and Lisa. Sure it was. "Elders. Karl cannot answer your questions."

"What?" More than one of the Elders snapped. Mavri… did not. He looked ashen, staring from Karl, to Nikis, to Iriana and back at Karl. Nikis made a throat clearing noise and they all shut up. Iriana took a deep breath and continued.

"I do not know everything that happened." Iriana said sadly. "I know what happened with the girl who Dust found. I know that Dust died saving every Tenno in this Solar System from Redi's madness."

'We know that-!" One of the Elders started sourly and then everything stopped as a pistol roared. All eyes turned to the Elder who swallowed hard, his immaculately groomed hair neatly furrowed by a Magnus slug. No blood. Nikis hadn't drawn _blood_! No one moved as his Magnus went back to his hip.

"Do yourself a _favor_." Nikis said into the sudden silence. "Shut. Up."

"_Nikis_." Iriana groaned out his name through a long suffering sigh.

"You have your ways, Healer. I have mine." The Nekros said, unrepentant. "Mine are _faster_. You _will_ listen to the healer." He warned the assembled Elders.

"Or?" One of the other Elders asked, then swallowed hard as Nikis turned his glare on her.

"Or? _Or_ you are going to make me angry." Nikis said in a voice that was starkly terrifying. Utterly devoid of any emotion. "You wouldn't like me when I am angry."

"Nikis, please." Lisa said from where she knelt. The Nekros nodded to Lisa and stepped back, giving Iriana room. But no one dared to move. His hands were still on his pistols.

"As I said, we all know what happened." Iriana said, trying to remain calm in the tension laden atmosphere. "Dust died." She bowed her head and shook it. "Karl was ordered to stop him. No one knew what Redi was doing. According to eyewitnesses, not even _Redi_ knew what the machine would do."

"What witnesses?" Mavri asked, his tone careful. Nikis didn't move.

"Caretaker Elenia and myself were there." Lisa said softly. "We had been…sedated and put in the machine, but we woke before... We saw and heard what happened… when Champion… When Dust gave his life for us." Lisa said, rising to stand by Iriana. Nikis moved to flank her and she shook her head. "Nikis… No one is stupid enough to push you. Please? Please don't kill anybody." She begged him.

"I ain't leaving you unprotected, girl." Nikis' tone ended the argument. "But I _will_ try to let you do the talking." She patted his arm fondly and the Elders all stared at her, shocked.

"That is the best I can hope for, I guess." Lisa said with a wince. "Healer?"

"We are not here to debate causes or effects, Elders." Iriana said quietly. "Karl is not to blame for what happened. The stone headed fool seems to think that taking responsibility for what happened will fix things. It won't. He was sworn to silence, by someone he respected. He _cannot_ answer your questions."

"Sworn to silence? By who?" Mavri asked when none of the other Elders spoke.

"Her." Iriana said, jerking her head at the bound and gagged Eliza who was struggling in her bonds now. "She is a leader of a small colony of survivors. A hidden colony, hidden even from _us_." Mavri's eyes went wide at that and Iriana nodded. "She didn't _trust_ us." Iriana said sadly. "From what I have seen recently? I _can't_ say I blame her."

"Quiet you." Nikis said, toeing the struggling Empress who stared at him and then shuddered and relaxed.

"Well…" Mavri actually bit his lip. "That… changes things."

"How?" The loudmouth Elder asked, then went still. Having a Magnus pointed at a person usually did that to anyone _sane_.

"Grand Master Nikis." Mavri said softly. "While I appreciate your… unconventional approach to parliamentary procedure, _shooting_ Elder Hans will _not_ help your cause."

"His replacement might have more brains." Nikis said mildly. "Antagonizing me is not smart."

"He antagonizes _everybody_, Grand Master Nikis." Mavri said with a snort. "It's just the way he is. Please?" He asked. "We can settle this without you shooting us all. And I am afraid if you shoot one of us, you _will_ have to shoot all of us." He slowly walked to stand by the silent Hans. Others of the Elders walked to stand by the pair.

"Okay." Nikis said softly. "I am man enough to admit when I am wrong. _Some_ of you have guts." His pistol went back to his hip and his arms crossed. "But you might want to keep him quiet. Lisa's protection is my responsibility now."

"Might I ask why?" Mavri asked slowly.

"Don't tell me you don't remember." Nikis said softly. "You were here. A junior member, but you were _here_." The hate in his voice sang around the room and Mavri nodded.

"I was." Mavri said, bowing his head. "I _swear_ to you, Nikis… None of us _believed_ he would recover at all. Let alone… recover so well. He didn't remember his own _name_!"

"You wouldn't let me _shoot_ that piece of trash. You got the Lotus to _command_ me not to! 'We need every Tenno' was what she said when she commanded me not to." Nikis said softly. "I will not, I _cannot_ forgive that." He said fiercely. "Dust was my _son_, Elder. And you…" He shook his head.

"We betrayed him. And you. I say it now as I said it then, Nikis." Mavri said softly. "What they decided was _wrong_. Too few of us voted to confine Redi. Or even to _investigate_ what he had done. The few of us who did… We were censured for 'inconveniencing the war effort'." He shook his head. "It was all I could do to stay. Not to go back into a warframe and back into the field. At least the blood and guts _there_ is honest."

"If you had, they would have won." Nikis said softly.

"And you taught me better than that." Mavri agreed. "I failed you, Master." All eyes in the room shot to Mavri who shook his head again. "I failed you and I failed Dust." For a long moment, no one spoke. Then Iriana stepped forward.

"We have to go on." Iriana begged the room. "We _have_ to. We can't bring Dust back. But we cannot fight amongst ourselves either. Karl is needed. Eliza here…" She glanced at the still form of the Orokin Empress. "…is needed. We have all failed something in this horrible episode. We have to move on. We _have_ to."

"Always the healer." Mavri said softly. Iriana glared at him, but nodded. "I motion that our questions for Tenno Karl be dismissed. All in favor?" All of the Elders but Hans nodded. Nikis made a noise and Hans nodded quickly. Smart man. "Motion passed. Are you going to be…around?" He asked Nikis.

"Doubt it." Nikis said with a shrug. "Too much double talk for a straight shooter like me. Besides…" He nodded to Lisa who picked up Eliza. "I got a grandkid to worry about."

"A grand-…?" Mavri paused and then his eyes lit up. "I see. Well, from an old curmudgeon to a far older curmudgeon… Stay alive, ya old fart. You still owe me three hundred credits."

"I'll subtract it from the three _thousand_ you owe me." Nikis said with a snort. "Should have known better than to try and bluff me at poker, Mavri." Several people chuckled at Mavri's expression.

"Yeah, I _should_ have." Mavri said with a sour chuckle. "Get out of here, you crazy fool. We have work to do. And take Karl with you, will you?"

"Yeah, yeah, give me the rough jobs." Nikis said with a snort as Karen bent down and picked up the still unconscious Tenno. But no one relaxed until the entire odd cavalcade had exited the room.

"And now…" Mavri said, exhaling heavily. "I think a _bunch_ of us need to change our robes…"

* * *

Iriana didn't relax until the portal faded around them and she was standing back in the tower she called home. Karen laid Karl down and Lisa laid Eliza down. But then Iriana froze as Eliza suddenly reach up and tore the tape from her mouth.

"Did you _have_ to be so rough?" The Empress demanded, touching her cheek where a bruise shone.

"I explained." Nikis said, his tone oddly patient. "If I hadn't been my usual self, _Mavri_ at least would have smelt a rat. He isn't stupid no matter _how_ he acts on occasion. Yes, I had to hurt you. And I _won't_ say I didn't enjoy it. You deserved it and more."

"You…" Iriana was hardly the only one staring at Eliza. "What?"

"You were right, Healer." Eliza said sadly. "We need to move on. Nikis' abrupt arrival gave me the opportunity to extract Karl before he went too far. Before we lost him. We need him. Bad."

Iriana stared from Nikis to Eliza and back, her eyes wide. "That was all… _acting_?" She demanded.

"No." Nikis said with a snarl. "I hate them all, Healer. They locked up my kid and didn't let me kill the one responsible. If _anyone_ is responsible for this mess, _the Elders_ are. _They_ had the evidence of Redi's mistakes and lies before the Collapse and most of them _refused_ to act on them. Mavri at least tried. Not enough, but he tried." He shook his head. "I cannot and _will_ not forgive or forget. My son is dead, because they didn't act against Redi when they found Dust in that ward of horrors. Everything that came after, as bad as some of it was, was just window dressing."

"Jasmina wondered why they didn't." Lisa said softly. "You left in such a hurry, Healer... He arrived moments after you left. With her."

"They needed every Tenno." Eliza said with a snarl. "I… Nikis…"

"Just leave me alone, Eliza." Nikis said savagely. "I tried to get in. So many times. That colony was locked up tight. Dead as a doornail and locked up tight. _All I wanted was his body!_" He screamed, an agonized sound of animalistic pain. "Then… When they found him… He didn't _know_ me…" He shook his head. "I… I need to go kill something. I'll… be around." He turned to go.

"Nikis…" Lisa jumped up and ran to him. The Nekros froze as she hugged him and spoke softly. "Wait… Iriana, can I talk to Nikis alone for a moment?"

"Tower?" Iriana asked. "Secure conversation area?"

-Certainly- The Tower replied. –Drone guide available. Please follow- A drone swooped down and Lisa led Nikis away.

"So… Eliza." Iriana said as she started working on Karl who had a skull fracture. "What now?"

"Now?" Eliza said softly. "We go on. I will need more advice it seems. I am too… quick to act on occasion. A bad trait in a ruler."

"You didn't have all the information." Karl said weakly from where he lay. "Ow…"

"Don't move." Iriana snapped. "Nikis hit you hard."

"He never hits anyone _soft_." Karl said with a gasp. "I… What happened?"

"The Elders were told what they needed to know." Iriana said sharply. "They decided not to question you further. Nikis holds them responsible for what happened with Redi. No one else."

"_That_ I don't believe." Karl said.

"You better believe it, numbnuts." Nikis' voice preceded the Nekros back into the room. Lisa followed. The girl had been crying. Nikis… sounded stunned. "You are going to go back to your clan, take over again and never… ever do such a _stupid_ thing again. Clear?" He said, menace singing in his voice. "You are Tenno. You are supposed to _think_. Not just _obey_."

"And if they…?" Karl froze as Nikis raised a hand. "Okay! Okay!" He said quickly. "I'll be good."

"You better, boy." Nikis said with a snarl. "Because I am staying with Lisa. And if I hear you are being stupid again… we are going to have a _talk_." Karl went white at that and Iriana stared from him to the Nekros.

"_Talk_? Do I want to know?" The healer asked softly.

"No." Karl said with a gulp. "You don't."

"You are a Tenno and a leader of Tenno." Nikis said with a sigh. "Suck it up, Tenno. You have work to do."

"Yes sir."


	21. Chapter 21

**Epilogues**

* * *

**Justice**

The young man grunted a bit as he woke. Elenia smiled as she rose from where she had been sitting. "Good morning, Curtis."

"Good morning." The boy asked, confused, but then he relaxed. The mind mass comforted him and everything was okay in his world. "I… feel…"

"We had to sequester your mind fairly thoroughly for a time. You slept through that." Elenia asked when he did not continue. "_How_ do you feel?" Her tone was kind and gentle.

"Odd." Curtis said as he rose onto all four feet. Then he sank back to the floor. "Like I am not… all here."

"We had to do some sleight of hand, Curtis. We couldn't expose you to the raw power of the mind mass, but we were not about to let you pass without trying either." Elenia said as she laid a slim hand on his shoulder. "Your body died. Iriana did everything she could."

"She was crying." Curtis said sadly. "She was so… so sad. Is she okay? She was nice."

"She is okay." Elenia said quietly. "Sadder and a bit wiser about the ways of the universe but okay. You?"

"I am…" Curtis shrugged a bit. "Good." He said finally. "I feel different, but… good."

"We have a lot of work to do today, Curtis." Elenia said with a smile as she started for the door. "Feel up for it?"

"Of course. You took me in when I…" Curtis paused and then shrugged again. "I… don't remember. I... died?"

"Your body did. We saved your mind." Elenia replied gently. The boy shivered a bit and she patted him gently. "Take what time you need, Curtis."

"No." Curtis said as he stretched a bit. "I am with you, Caretaker." He paused. "What happened to the one who hurt me?" Elenia looked at him and he made a soft noise of concern. "I… feel… odd asking about that. But… I need to. I want to forgive her."

"Curtis." Elenia said with a soft noise of sadness. "She _killed_ you."

"I would still like to." Curtis said as the massed mind eased around him, gently soothing his tension. "To forgive her."

"We won't kill her. She will be useful while she is being reeducated." Elenia said with a nod. "Ready to start your day? We have a _lot_ to do. First we need to make sure you have no problems, then we have a lot of biomass to check, move and secure."

"Yes, Ma'am." The Infested Charger said as it followed her towards the door.

Behind where Curtis had woken, a human sized pod sat on the floor. In it could barely be seen a pair of terrified human eyes through the viscous fluid. There was literally no way that Curtis would be able to hear the soft signal being transmitted directly into the captive woman's auditory nerves.

_You will __**not**__ abuse children. You __**must**__ not abuse children. Children are a **blessing**. You will __**not**__ abuse children…_

Elenia passed Jasmina who nodded soberly as she strode into the room to stare at the pod. She waited until the hatch had shut behind her to speak. She knew the mass mind would…filter Curtis' perception of what she would say. He was still fragile and no one wanted to hurt him. He had been hurt enough.

"The surgery is done. I figure in two years or so we might let you out, see if you have learned your lesson." The Ember Prime said sourly. "Me? I bet not, but the mass mind is remarkably compassionate. But we also don't waste. Your body will regenerate and we will remove what you won't need as it regrows. Your regenerating biomass and regenerating energy will help greatly."

_No less than she deserves._ Dust said quietly at the back of Jasmina's mind. _But don't let hate cloud you, Jasmina._ He warned.

"Oh, I won't." Jasmina said as she started for the door. "But the thought of using _her_ body mass and heat energy to…nurture young Infested _does_ bring a nice warm tingle to my heart. Poetic justice that the first Charger we gestated held the mind of the boy she killed."

_You are vicious._ Dust observed. _I __**like**__ you._

_I would hope so. __How is it knowing Nikis is your dad?_ Jasmina asked with a snort.

_Terrifying. _Dust replied. _You know he is going to be even more insufferable now. Right? And when he has a grandkid to spoil? Heaven help us all!_

_I think we will manage._ Jasmina said with a smile as she strode away to her family's future. _That is what family does._

_Yep, we help each other healing._

* * *

**Old School**

The Lancer was running. He was running as fast as he could, his face even more contorted than usual for Grineer. The ship was huge, but felt far emptier than usual. He heard it behind him again and put on another burst of speed. Praying. Hoping…

"You! Halt!" The sound of a Grineer Commander's voice brought the lancer up short, where he stood panting. "Where are you going?" The higher rank clone demanded.

"Sir… " The Lancer gasped. "Lancer 45896A32-D. Patrol sequence Seven… We were ambushed."

"I see." The Commander said with a growl. "Where is the rest of your patrol?"

"Dead, sir." The Lancer said with a gulp. Cowardice was looked upon in Grineer society about as kindly as other races. "Tenno! We didn't' have a chance!"

"Coward!" The Comamnder snapped, his armored gauntlet coming up to slam the cringing Lancer across the face. "Where is your weapon?"

"Destroyed, sir!" The Lancer said, straightening. "We fought. Our weapons were destroyed. We tried to close to melee range and all of us died."

"Not all." The commander growled even more fiercely. "But I can fix that." He said as he raised his Grakata. But then… A soft sound swept through the corridors and the Lancer went stock still. "What is that?" It sounded like… whistling?

"That's him!" The Lancer nearly screamed. "No! For the love of the mother! No! Run!" A blow threw him to the deck.

"Are you saying you are running from _one_ being?" The commander snapped. "Tenno obviously. Team deploy!" The Lancer moved to rise, but froze as the Commander's Grakata moved to cover him. "You, stay. You are bait."

"You don't _understand_!" The Lancer begged, but another blow sent him to the deck, semiconscious.

"I have no time for cowards right now." The Commander said with a snarl. "We will deal with you later." He moved to cover as… an odd form appeared in the distance. It was a Tenno. He searched his armor databases and found a match. A Nekros. But the fool was walking right out in the open. Not even moving quickly. "Grineer! Attack!"

He opened fire, but…that was the last thing that went right. Before his eyes, the Tenno seemed to waver in midair. No… It's _hands_ were blurring and two _huge_ pistols were coming up as it strode forward as if it hadn't a care in the world. The Commander stopped stock still as the fire from the Tenno sought each and every one of his subordinates, sweeping them away before they could even fire a shot. The whistling stopped.

"Now you done it…" The voice was eerie and the Commander shivered despite himself. Tenno didn't speak. This was impossible. But… "You put a hole… in my robe…" The Commander raised his Grakata again, but… it fell apart in his hands. He was the _only_ Grineer still alive in the corridor he realized suddenly. "I don't like people who shoot my clothes. Gets me… testy."

The Grineer Commander suddenly understood something that he hadn't before. The feeling of losing control of one's bodily functions wasn't something that Grineer usually had to deal with. They prided themselves on being the fierce ones, the scary ones. But this… This was something way beyond any Grineer.

"Yeah…" The Tenno said softly. His hand went down to touch a rent on the fabric that covered his skeletal form. "You put a hole in my robe. But I am generous soul." He said, his tone mocking. "I will give you a one minute head start. You better take it, dog." He put a hand to his head and started speaking nonsense. "One, Mississippi. Two, Mississippi…"

The Grineer commander stared at him and then took to his heels while the Tenno was occupied. He had no weapon and knew his life was forfeit when others found him, but the fear… The fear behind him was too much.

_You really enjoy that, don't you, Nikis?_ A silent voice asked him sourly.

"I get my enjoyment where I can, Jasmina. Time is _up_, you Grineer dogs!" Nikis, Grandmaster gunfighter of the Tenno said as he started forward. "Fill your hands, you sorry clone sons of bitches!" The Commander was still in view and Nikis sent a shot his way. The Commander ran harder. "Death is coming for you!"

_It is times like this I wish we hadn't given you a link to the mass mind…_ Jasmina said with a mental wince. _They don't need any **more** insanity, Nikis_

"Insanity?" Niks asked as he started off after the last Grineer again. "Maybe. But it's fun."

_Dust?_ Jasmina begged.

_Don't try and get me involved!_ Dust begged playfully. _Besides. If he is doing this, he isn't making a mess for Lisa and Iriana._

_There is that. _Jasmina said sourly. _Oh well…_ she gave another mental wince as Nikis started whistling again.

((watch?v=LQGGQ-FCe_w))

_Which is he?_ Jasmina asked with a wince as Nikis prodded the Grineer commander on with another shot. _The good, the bad or the ugly? _She demanded as Nikis' shot hit the Grineer on the posterior and the terrified clone ran harder.

"All three, girly." Nikis said with a smirk as he reloaded his Magnuses. "All three. And look at it this way. I have two hundred more Grineer on this ship. I'll get to whistle a _bunch_ of tunes."

A mental whimper was his only response.


End file.
